Younger Sons
by idleness
Summary: The Scanran war is over, and Dom is now Captain of First Company. Ahead is much hard work, as Lord Raoul plans further reforms to the King's Own and Dom tries to sort through his feelings and figure out what, if anything, he wants from a certain lady knight.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

June, 463 H.E.

Domitan of Masbolle looked all around as he entered the gates of the two year old fortified town of New Hope. Ahead of him, the Knight Commander of the Kings Own, Lord Raoul of Goldenlake and Malorie's Peak, had already dismounted and was handing the reins of his horse to a tall and weedy teenage boy, who Dom immediately recognised as Tobeis Boon. He dismounted and handed his reins to the waiting boy, grinning.

"Tobe! Is Mother putting fertiliser in your porridge?" Dom enquired, putting his hand on the boy's head. He had put on at least three inches since the last time they'd met about six months before.

Tobe grinned. "No, sir. But my lady always says I'm growing like a weed."

Raoul snorted behind them. "I remember saying the same thing about her, each time we saw the armourer in Corus while she was a squire," he remarked with amusement on his face. "Speaking of my favourite former squire," Raoul continued, "I'm surprised she's not here to greet us."

Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan, the realm's first known Lady Knight in over a century, was ordered to build and run the fortified town of New Hope after the refugee camp she was in charge of was overrun and her refugees kidnapped while she was reporting at Fort Mastiff. Defying orders to clean up and return to the Fort, Keladry gave her soldiers the slip and went to Scanra to rescue her people. Some of her knight year-mates, her servant boy Tobe, and convict soldiers followed her without orders, while Raoul sent Dom and his squad on an unofficial mission to assist her. Together under her command, they managed to rescue the refugees and defeat King Maggur's pet necromancer, who was intending to use the souls of the camp's children to fuel his monstrous killing devices.

After the mage, Blayce the Gallan or the Nothing Man as Kel called him, was killed, all the killing devices in the field stopped moving and Maggur lost his deadliest weapon and advantage. From then, the tide of the war turned in favour of the Tortallans, culminating with a stalemate at Frasrlund in the northwest, both sides occupying a side of the river. Malcontent in Scanra soon manifested in the separation of King Maggur's head from his shoulders as factions in his alliance of clans began jostling for power, and eventually Scanran diplomats headed to Corus for peace treaty negotiations. Last word was that a treaty was imminent, though troops remained stationed on the border, and probably would for some months.

"We weren't expecting you until this evening, my lord. My lady is out on patrol. She will be back for lunch." The boy looked at the horses, who were gently nudging him and sniffing his pockets. He bowed. "If you'll excuse me, I will take your horses now."

Dom grinned at him. "Thank you, Tobe." He gestured to the company of the Own behind him in the gate. "The men will see to their own horses and gear. I understand Sir Merric has organised space for them in the barracks."

Tobe nodded, looking grave. "Very well, Sergeant Dom."

"He is a sergeant no longer," Raoul said quietly, chuckling. Tobe glanced between the men with a confused expression. Dom grinned and bowed to the boy, saying as he straightened, "Domitan of Masbolle, Captain of First Company of the Kings Own, at your service."

Tobe's face split in a grin. "Wait until Lady Kel hears!" he yelped.

Dom shushed him. "Don't tell everyone yet! I want to see the look on Mea—Sir Nealan's face when he finds out."

Tobe grinned and led the horses away. Raoul waved to the soldiers behind them, and they too followed the boy towards the stables. Raoul clapped Dom on the shoulder wandered off. Dom watched for a moment, and was about to head toward the headquarters building when a familiar voice drawled in his ear.

"What look on my face when I find out what?"

Dom turned and clasped arms with his grinning cousin. "Meathead!"

Nealan of Queenscove sniffed and looked down his nose haughtily. "That's _Sir_ Meathead to you! What are you doing here anyway? I thought you and your troupe of incorrigible pranksters were to remain at Steadfast."

"What am I doing here? Is that any way to greet your favourite cousin?" he exclaimed, feigning hurt and then grinning. "And Third Company is at Steadfast."

Neal raised his eyebrows. "And?"

Dom smirked. "I, dearest Sir Meathead, am moving up in the world."

Neal scowled and squinted at the captain's badge on Dom's tunic. When their eyes met again, Dom's smirk and Neal's scowl both deepened. Then Neal grinned and ran his hand through his hair. "Mithros! Captain of First Company? So you're coming with us to Corus, then? Does this mean I have to ask Yuki to find space for you on the wedding list?"

Neal would be going south with them to Corus, to marry his 'Yamani blossom,' Lady Yukimi noh Daiomoru. With the war wrapping up and Prince Roald and Princess Shinkokami expecting their first child soon, a small delegation from the Yamani Islands including representatives from Yuki's family were headed to Corus for the birth and wedding. Kel would also be accompanying them south at the request of Princess Shinkokami, as one of her childhood friends from the Yamani Islands.

"Only if it's no problem. I would hate to get on Yuki's bad side so close to us becoming family."

"And _I_ would hate to heal your head when she cracks it open with her fan. We could start a family feud –it would keep things interesting for the next decade at least."

"Meathead." Dom rolled his eyes at his cousin and stretched, grinning. "I don't know about you, but I'm going to see if there's anything to eat around here."

With that they headed toward the mess hall beside New Hope's headquarters. The cooks had just begun serving lunch, so they picked up trays and filled them with bowls of steaming soup filled with barley and herbs, bread rolls, cold meat and cheese. Raoul had wasted no time in finding the mess hall, and was already seated and in conversation with a red-headed knight that Dom recognised as one of Kel and Neal's year-mates, Merric of Hollyrose. They were familiar with each other after their Scanran jaunt. Merric looked up and saw them walking over.

"I hear congratulations are in order, Captain!"

Dom grinned at the wiry red-head and they clasped hands across the table. As they sat down, Neal muttered, "I always thought you lot were mad in the Own, but now I _know_ it. My lord, how could you inflict this larrikin upon the court?"

Raoul grinned wolfishly. "We _are_ mad. But at least this one has an iota of social grace and doesn't resemble a block of wood or mistake tapestries for hiding places as I am wont to do. Mithros only knows why, but he seems to enjoy himself at court parties."

"Not so much that I agreed to do this if that was all First Company would be doing," Dom added over a mouthful of bread. Merric and Neal looked at him, but it was Raoul who elaborated.

"First Company has traditionally been a show company, and up until now I hadn't appointed a new captain after the late Glaisdan of Haryse. Glaisdan was good at what he did as a court show pony but he wasn't suited for a field command, and it got him and nineteen other men killed in one fell swoop. First Company has stayed at the border under my direct command, but their numbers are down significantly. So now I have an opportunity to appoint a capable young captain and recruit to make it a better fighting unit. We can't afford to have something like that happen again."

Dom swallowed his mouthful and added, "Second Company has been in Corus for the whole war, taking on court and ceremonial duties that normally would have been performed by First. If we can bring First up to the same field capabilities as Second and Third, we can rotate all companies between field and court duties."

The subject changed as members of the Own started to trickle into the mess. Merric told them about a spidren nest that that he and two squads of army regulars cleaned up after the winter ice had melted. Neal complained about healing acid burns from spidren blood on those of the men who got too close to the monsters. They were trying to prevent unfriendly immortals from becoming established in the area, and it was unending work.

Dom was beginning to wonder if Kel was going to turn up at all, and despite himself, began to look up and scan the room frequently. He had been alarmed to realise he had fallen for the tall lady knight, as he seemed to be in the middle of it before he even noticed he'd begun. His cousin Neal was her best friend and had been her page sponsor at the Palace. Neal's letters had been filled with tales of their adventures and exploits to the extent that when he finally met her after Raoul took her on as a squire, Dom felt like he'd known her for years. He had promised Neal to look out for her, and did his best to make her feel welcome in the Own as if she were a younger sister. He could not pin-point the exact time when his feelings changed from brotherly affection to romantic admiration other than that it must have been a process beginning towards the end of her squirehood until he realised how much he cared when she ran off to Scanra to rescue her refugees.

Dom had heard through the King's Own gossip grapevine that Kel was unattached after her quiet romance with the young Kennan knight ended when he left to marry the woman his mother had chosen for him, but the lady kept her emotions behind the firm Yamani mask she picked up from her time in the Islands, and no one was quite brave enough to ask her about it. Besides, he figured, it was a hopeless crush and she was probably out of his league anyway—as a member of the Own he would be unable to marry without resigning, and for all he knew, she could still be nursing a broken heart from the Kennan lad. Not even Neal seemed to know what was going on when someone asked him at Lord Raoul's wedding a few months after Scanra. Ironic, Dom thought, considering how Neal wore his feelings on his sleeve for all to know, while his best friend was at pains to hide all of hers.

A few of New Hope's soldiers walked into the mess, joking with one another and clearly just in from patrol. Merric nodded to them as they joined the queue to be served that had formed out of field workers and the Own. Kel wasn't among them. He glanced to his side and noticed Neal watching him with an odd expression on his face. Caught, Neal smiled, but uncharacteristically said nothing and turned back to his food. That would be something to ponder later, though.

Dom sighed and ran his hand through his hair. Standing, he picked up his tray and caught the eye of one of his sergeants, Marten of Rosemark.

"Sergeant Marten. Your squad will help with wash-up after lunch."

The man nodded and signalled the instructions to his men. Dom turned and nodded to Raoul, then walked toward the serving window to return his tray.

"Dom!"

His heart beat a little faster and he turned to face the voice that called his name as he laid his tray on the bench.

"Kel!"

He smiled and leaned in to hug her. They embraced and Kel stepped back. She was tanned from the fields, the freckles across her nose a little darker than he remembered. Her sun-lightened brown hair had grown longer and she wore it pulled back from her face and tied with a leather strip. It was mussed and a little sweaty from being inside her helmet, but he liked it all the same.

"A little birdy tells me you have a new assignment, and you will be coming with us to Corus." Her long-lashed hazel eyes smiled as she said it.

Dom grinned at her and looked past her shoulder to see Tobe picking up a tray. "Tobe! I thought I told you I wanted to tell everyone!"

The boy paused from selecting a bread roll and scowled. "No, you only said you wanted to tell Sir Neal!"

Kel glanced at her faithful shadow and laughed. "Well, the cat is out of the bag now. Congratulations," she said quietly, gripping his arm briefly and smiling warmly.

He smiled, and squashed the brief urge to touch his arm where her hand had been.

"Well, we can chat after lunch. I'm going to go and catchup on some paper work." Leaning closer, told her in a conspirational whisper, "Neal has fished all of the vegetables out of his soup."

Kel rolled her eyes, but smiled. "Then I had better get to him before he can make an escape."

* * *

A/N:

First fic. I am totally meant to be studying...


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The next morning saw Dom and First Company ready to leave after an early breakfast. Unusually, Neal was one of the first ready, and was in oppressively high spirits. They waited for Kel, though her bags were packed and her horses waiting in the courtyard; her brown mare Hoshi with placid patience, and her strawberry roan gelding warhorse Peachblossom looking decidedly cross. Kel's dog jump sat in a carrier behind Hoshi's saddle, and her tame sparrows perched on Peachblossom.

"I never feel safe with that monster around," Neal remarked as he and Peachblossom eyeballed one another. Kel's horse was infamously temperamental, and had no patience for Neal.

"You know, I heard a new ballad being sung over Midwinter, about the Protector of the Small and her noble steed..." Dom began, grinning.

Neal snorted rudely. "_Noble_ steed? Did you inform them they must be mistaken?"

"I hadn't the heart," Dom drawled with a smirk. "Besides, the story had a few more heroic... embellishments added to it, and we were too busy laughing at what our dear Protector would say if she heard. Wolset and the lads might sing it next time they see her."

Neal grinned wickedly. "I wonder if any of these songs have made it to Corus yet. Oh look, here they come. Finally." Neal was impatient to get on the road to Corus and his betrothed.

Raoul strode out of the mess hall, followed by Kel and Merric. New Hope's village headwoman, Fanche, and her husband Saefas followed also. Fanche and Saefas had congratulated Dom on his new station the previous night, along with the rest of the villagers who knew him from the Scanran rescue. Evidently, Kel had spoken a word to the head cook after he'd left the mess at lunch, and in that afternoon the cooks had whipped up a modest celebratory feast and Raoul and Kel had announced the news of his promotion to the villagers, who clapped him on the back and cheered enthusiastically.

Merric would be taking command of New Hope in Kel's absence, though he had expressed his hope to be released by the end of summer to also travel south in time for Neal's wedding. It was likely for the war to be formally ended very soon, and there would be celebrations to attend in Corus in the autumn, and as Raoul had hinted, some kind of formal recognition for those who went to Scanra to save the refugees and destroy the killing devices.

In the past two years, New Hope had grown to be an increasingly self-sufficient town. Fanche was a firm and efficient headwoman and now dealt with most village issues to the point that Kel would sometimes complain that there was nothing left for her to do. Her friends would laugh and remind her that she wouldn't be there forever and that the success of New Hope was surely testament to her good management. Dom wondered briefly what Kel would do after the war, and idly hoped that Raoul would manage to snap her up for the Own as he had admitted was his intention.

He watched as Kel was hugged by Fanche and then Saefas. They were joined by Tobe and two of the orphan girls from Scanra. Loesia, or Loey as she was known, was about sixteen and was to come with them to Corus to join the Queen's Riders. Irnai was about nine now, and still lived with Kel in headquarters. The other orphan children had all been adopted by village families, while the older boys had found trades among the men of the village. Irnai was a gifted Seer, and was the one who had appeared in the village of Castle Rathhausak in Scanra and prophesied the arrival of the Protector of the Small. Unfortunately, her unusual Gift unsettled the sometimes superstitious villagers, so Kel had taken her on as her young maid. She would travel with them to Corus also, where Kel hoped to find a suitable place for her, and possibly some schooling.

Dom watched as Tobe helped Irnai onto the piebald mare who had taken to him in Scanra, before mounting up behind her. The mare was just a pony, and Dom supposed that Irnai would probably be passed between riders for the trip, or that Tobe, who had wild magic with horses, would ride Peachblossom some of the time. Everyone else had mounted up by now too; Kel on Hoshi with Peachblossom's reins in hand, and Loey on a small brown gelding pony with white socks, also from Scanra.

Dom signalled to his sergeants to get their squads in line, while Kel took a position next to her former knight master. Dom would ride with Neal behind them, while Tobe and Loey fell in at the rear with the pack horses and the Own's servants. Raoul made the signal to move out, and First Company moved forward and poured out of the gates and down the slope of the raised ground, heading toward the Great Road.

It took them just over two weeks to reach Corus, riding hard with the roads dry but busy and the days long. Neal became more and more anxious and impatient to see Yuki the closer they got. Dom and Kel in turns attempted to distract him, threaten him, and finally ignored him completely. Tobe made everyone laugh by relaying Peachblossom's offer to bite him. From the guffaws of some of the Own within earshot, they weren't the only ones fed up. Neal simply glared at them with all the haughty indignation he could muster and kicked his horse ahead, muttering to himself.

It was late evening with the sun sinking low when they finally arrived in Corus. The men laughed as Tobe, Loey and Irnai gaped at the sight of the city spread across the valley, the glassy Olorun River snaking lazily through it, and the gentle rise of the temple district to the Palace, all tinged gold with the light of the sinking summer sun. Irnai claimed she had Seen it in her mind's eye, but that did not prepare her for the sight before them.

Dom straightened in his saddle and stretched as they at last poured into the Own's courtyard at the palace.

"Home, sweet home!" Raoul announced. Dom knew he was being ironic—Raoul avoided court as much as possible—but from the happy sighs of the men behind him, many were truly glad to be back in Corus and looking forward to the prospect of a hot bath and a real bed to sleep in. He hoped they wouldn't get too used to it if they were going to make First Company into a proper fighting unit. An image flashed in his mind of the stuffy late Captain Glaisdan of Haryse, his face like a pickled beetroot as he rode in his full suit of old fashioned dress armour during the stifling mid-summer heat of the Grand Progress. Please Gods, let this work out as planned, he thought silently.

Dom turned to the men now milling around.

"All right boys, we have a few days of rest and relaxation before the real work begins. Groom your horses and stow your gear, then you're at leisure until further notice. Dismissed."

The men didn't waste time. The courtyard turned to a flurry of activity as horses were stabled and groomed and servants came from the barracks to help unload wagons. The last light was beginning to fade, and torches had been lit in the courtyard. Neal had disappeared at his first opportunity to seek out Yuki. Only Raoul, Kel, Tobe, and the girls remained. Kel had slung some more bags over Hoshi and Peachblossom, and she stood holding their reins. Irnai was asleep on Tobe's pony, and the eyelids of the other two young ones drooped. Raoul slapped Dom on the back and announced his intention to look for his wife of the last year and a half, Lady Buriram.

Buri, as she was more commonly known, was formerly the Commander of the Queen's Riders and Queen Thayet's right-hand woman. She had returned to Corus earlier to help with training the latest intake of Riders, though she had handed over the command to Evin Larse and no longer held an official position.

Dom looked at Kel. "Will you take supper in our mess?" he asked hopefully.

She smiled and shook her head. "Thank you, but no. These ones are as good as dead on their feet. I better get them settled in my rooms and by then I will be about ready to drop off myself."

As if on cue, Tobe yawned deeply. His pony, Charm, nudged him.

Dom grinned as he bit back a yawn himself. "I better not keep you then. Good night, Protector," he smiled as Kel frowned slightly. "Tobe, Loey, good night. No doubt we will see each other again soon." He stepped forward and did a Player's bow.

Kel laughed. "Good night, Dom. Don't fall asleep and drown in your bath," she teased. "It would be an undignified end to your career." He grinned as she tugged on the reins of the horses and headed towards the knights' stables as the youngsters mumbled goodbyes and stumbled to follow.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Dom rose early the next morning out of habit more than design. As luck would have it, they had arrived on a Saturday night, and Raoul liked to sleep in when he could. From the dead quiet in the mess, it was evident that the men intended to do the same with their days of leave. He returned to his room to read some correspondence and then upended his packs, sorting his clothes and personal effects into things that could to be mended and things that needed to be replaced. After a couple of bells he stood and stretched. There was still a good hour or two before the day began to get really hot, so he changed into light breeches and a shirt and headed out for a run. To the end of the curtain wall and back should do it, he thought, as he looked up and saw that a gentle breeze caught the banners on the guard towers and caused them to flap lazily.

After one length of the curtain wall his shirt was soaked in sweat and his muscles complained about the different exercise after two weeks in the saddle. He took a drink and splashed water on his face at a guard tower and began the return stretch. Near the end of his run he heard his name called. He looked up and saw Tobe, with Kel, Loey and Irnai standing a bit behind him. He jogged up to them and stopped, unhooking his water skin from his belt and draining it. He was sure Kel looked surprised for a moment but it was gone almost as quickly as it appeared as her face returned to its usual expression. He bent to pat the dog Jump who had trotted up to greet him.

"Showing your charges around the palace?" he asked.

Kel pulled a face. "Irnai wanted to see the whole city again," she said. "Balor's Needle not counted, this is probably the best place."

Dom laughed. "I'm surprised to see you up here, actually." To the youngsters, he explained, "When he was training master, Lord Wyldon used to assign Kel punishment work up here because of her fear of heights."

Kel flapped her hand when they looked at her. "I'm over the fear now, but I'll never like them."

Dom walked over to a notch in the wall and surveyed the city. He called to Irnai and pointed out some of the city landmarks. Loey leaned into the notch next to them and looked where Dom was pointing toward the market district. "Next weekend you want to ask Kel to take you there," he said. "We always take the new country boys in the Own down there—always goes down a treat."

"Lady Kel says I should look around as much as I can before I join the Riders," Loey said softly. Dom laughed.

"Yes, you won't have much free time once training starts."

A breeze picked up, and now that he wasn't running he noticed the sweat in his hair and shirt and remembered that he hadn't made it to the baths the previous night. He knew he didn't smell very fresh, and was suddenly aware of Kel standing close to him. He grimaced.

"Well, I'll leave you to it. I have an appointment at the bathhouse," he joked. "When you see me next, you might not recognise me." He rubbed the stubble on his face.

Kel giggled. "I could never mistake you for anyone else, Captain Domitan," she told him. Her face was straight but her dreamer's eyes smiled. His heart skipped a beat whenever she did that. Fighting the urge to grin foolishly, he bid them farewell and descended the narrow stair to the ground.

Returning to his rooms, he found a letter on his desk that wasn't there when he left. Picking it up, he recognised the neat handwriting of his mother, Lavinia of Masbolle. Inside was a short note to say she had received his letter sent over a month before about his promotion, offered her congratulations, and that his uncle had told her he was back in Corus last night. Dom's mother was the sister of Duke Baird of Queenscove, Neal's father and the realm's chief healer. The siblings were close, and Dom realised that his mother would be in Corus for the summer to help prepare for Neal's wedding in the fall. The note did not say so, but he knew it was an implicit order to visit and report when he had time. Lady Lavinia liked to keep tabs on her children. He placed the note to one side, gathered a fresh change of clothes, and headed off to the bathhouse for a long soak and a shave. After lunch he walked towards his uncle's rooms in the palace, assuming it to be the best place to look for his mother. His aunt Wilina of Queenscove opened the door.

"Aunt Wilina," he said, bowing. "I feel like I haven't seen you for a long time."

"Domitan!" she reached up and kissed his cheek. "Please come in. I suppose you are looking for your mother?"

"Yes, I received a note from Mama before lunch. Have you seen Neal yet, Aunt?"

"Not yet, but Baird told me he dropped by the infirmary last night to say he's back in one piece." They sat in some arm chairs by a low table. Lady Wilina filled a glass with water and he accepted it with thanks.

"Your mother has gone riding for the afternoon with your uncle. I was going to go with them, but I was hoping instead that I might see my son this afternoon," she said wryly. "Are you free tonight to come back here for supper?"

"If I go soon to finish some errands, I will be glad to come back for supper."

"Splendid. Your mother will be pleased to see you." She paused, and continued, "If you don't mind, could you stop by Neal's rooms and remind him of his family? I'll write a note to leave if he's not in."

He sat with his aunt for another half a bell, before returning to the barracks via Neal's room. He knocked but there was no answer, so he pushed his aunt's note under the door. Upon returning to his own rooms, there was a short note from Lord Raoul on his desk. Reading it, he copied the instructions for his Sergeants and wrote the same on a large slate hanging in the mess for the soldiers. They would have until next Sunday to laze before training resumed. Before then, he wanted all of the men to thoroughly clean and care for their gear and know exactly what needed to be replaced. He would leave when they did that up to them, as long as it was done by Sunday week as there would be an inspection first thing Monday morning.

Dom spent the remainder of his afternoon finishing some reports, made a start on his own gear, and groomed his horses. By the time the fifth bell after noon rang out, he was on his way back to Uncle Baird's rooms. His mother stood and embraced him when he entered.

"My dear boy," Lady Lavinia said. "It feels like I haven't seen you in years."

"You haven't, Mama," he replied as he bent down and allowed himself to be kissed on both cheeks.

His mother had aged since they had last seen each other during the Grand Progress, before the Scanran war. There was more grey in her auburn hair, and deeper lines around her green eyes. She looked more like Baird and Neal, but Dom had inherited from her the arched brows and straight nose with the slightly wide tip that ran so strongly in the Queenscove line. His own dark hair and very blue eyes came from his father's side.

Neal was already there, and had brought his betrothed, Lady Yukimi. Dom accepted a glass of wine from Lady Wilina and joined them in the sitting room, seating himself near his uncle.

"Uncle Baird, are you satisfied that Neal is still in one piece?"

Duke Baird smiled and nodded slightly. "I am immeasurably pleased to find he is still in one piece. And you too," he said drily. Lady Wilina placed a hand on her husband's arm. Neal's two elder brothers had been killed in the Immortals War ten over teen years ago, making Neal Duke Baird's heir. Neal had decided that there must always be a Queenscove knight in active service and had left healer's training at the University to become a page when he was fifteen years old. His decision had made his parents afraid of losing another son.

Dom's mother changed the subject, observing that Yuki's dress was a very tasteful fusion of Yamani and Tortallan styles. Yuki smiled. "Lalasa Isran is my dressmaker," she said. "She is very talented. Lady Keladry recommended her to me when we arrived from the Islands."

Lady Lavinia raised her eyebrows. "I've heard of Lalasa. Some other ladies of my acquaintance have also told me her shop is the best." She smiled. "You all seem to have a connection to the lady knight." It was a statement, but Dom knew his mother, like many, was curious about the first woman to openly try for knighthood after the law was changed to allow it. He decided to let the others speak.

Yuki obliged. "Kel and I were childhood friends from when her family lived at the Yamani court. I was so glad to see her when we arrived in Corus." She paused. "You are probably aware that she introduced us." Yuki gestured between herself and Neal, smiling.

Neal grinned. "I knew she'd be a useful friend to make when we were pages. We were both at the bottom of the Stump's list."

Baird, who disapproved of the nickname for Lord Wyldon, frowned as Neal pretended not to notice.

"I for one think Keladry has been a good steadying influence on you," he said tartly. "She reminds me of her mother when she was a young woman."

Dom piped up. "Between Kel and Yuki, we might yet make a civilised man out of Meathead here," he joked.

"_Sir_ Meathead!" Neal insisted.

Yuki's fan had popped out of her sash and was now hiding part of her face.

Lady Wilina leaned closer to her future daughter-in-law. "He didn't get it from _my_ side of the family," she whispered apologetically.

Neal was looking at Dom with an odd smile, and then he turned and looked at Lady Lavinia. "Dom has lots of stories from when Kel rode with the Own as Lord Raoul's squire," he drawled. "Some of them are almost as good as our pagehood stories."

Dom felt his cheeks warm and hoped he wasn't visibly blushing. His mother quirked her eyebrows up at him. "A lot of these stories are funnier if you were there, or know the people involved better," he explained, shrugging. "Though when she finished keeping Page Nealan out of trouble, Kel began mothering Third Company instead," he glanced at Neal and added, "and I'm almost certain she liked Third Company better."

Neal opened his mouth to say something but closed it again when Yuki rolled her eyes in a most un-Yamani manner and whacked him with her fan. Dom thanked her silently for closing the subject. Luckily, the servants finished laying down their supper not long after that, and they spent the rest of the evening talking about the upcoming birth of Crown Prince Roald and Princess Shinkokami's first child, the peace treaty with Scanra likely to be signed next week, and rumours of unrest in the Copper Isles.

* * *

A/N:

Right, time for me to get off the internet and do some real work. Bleh.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

July 463 H.E.

Their week of leave passed more quickly than Dom had anticipated. While his men lazed, he had much that needed to be done in preparation for the following week. Training and duty rosters needed to be written up, applications of prospective new members sorted and assessed, and quartermasters met with. Dom had moved his things from his old room in Third Company's part of the barracks to Glaisdan's old rooms, which were bigger than his sergeant's rooms, with their own office, sitting room, dressing room, and privy attached. He even had a door from his office to the courtyard outside. He made a mental note to gloat about his new rooms to Wolset and Lerant when Third Company returned before winter.

It was three bells after noon on Friday when Lord Raoul walked into Dom's office, looking pleased with himself.

"I have convinced the King that the Own needs the lady knight more than anyone else this summer," he announced. He paused for a moment, grinning, then amended, "Well, we have to share her with Princess Shinkokami who is about to pop any moment now, but in between times, Kel is ours."

Dom grinned. "I'm confused, sir. Do we have her because we like her company, or are we going to make her work?"

"Still your insolent tongue! Of course she'll be working. I'm not about to let all that hard work I put into training her in logistics, supply and recruitment go to waste." Raoul pulled up a chair and sat.

"Aha! You don't trust me to do it right by myself. I knew it!" Dom put on his best indignant Player's face. He really had been spending too much time around Neal. "But sir, what hard work? If I remember rightly, you just gave her a list and sent her off to figure it out herself."

Raoul chuckled. "She did take to it like a fish to water. I'm afraid I am now spoiled for future squires. No, it will be good to have her judicious eye on the new recruits, especially since we need to make up so many."

First Company had taken heavy losses during the war. It didn't help that twenty men including the Captain had been lost in one fell swoop to a large raiding party, but the rest of the company, used to a sedate court life, had to shape up quickly. Those that did not were the ones who paid for it. That left First Company down nearly forty men, with another twelve handing in their resignations that week. Most of those had sweethearts in Corus, and after a taste of war and brush with mortality, had decided to leave the Own and marry. A few gave no reason for their resignation, though most of those were older men whom Dom suspected had just had enough. All up, that meant they had to replace fully half of the original company of one hundred men. It would be quite a shake-up.

"Wait—_future _squires did you say? Are you taking another one?"

"I'm thinking about it, though I'm yet to approach the lad with an offer."

"Lerant will be thrilled," Dom chuckled.

"Yes, well, he'll just have to deal with it. Kel and Lerant eventually came to an understanding," Raoul said ruefully. Lerant of Eldorne was Raoul's prickly standard-bearer. A younger son of a disgraced house, he had found it difficult to find a position until Raoul had heard of his plight and given him the chance no one else would. As a result, he was possessive of his duties, which overlapped with a squire's traditional duties to a knight master.

Raoul cleared his throat. "Anyway—speaking of Kel, I asked her to bring that servant lad of hers with her when she comes to us. She tells me he's only got another year and a half on his bond to go, and I can tell she's already worrying about finding him a suitable position." He paused. "Tobe has been having brief lessons with Daine when she's passed through New Hope, and _she_ tells me that the lad has a good dollop of horse magic in him, but will need more training soon."

Dom caught Raoul's train of thought. "You're thinking Tobe would make an excellent Horsemaster in a few years, and what a fine thing it would be if he were to choose the Own."

Raoul's face settled into a sly grin. "I knew there was a reason I promoted you. But we may yet have to fight off Buri and Horsemistress Onua—they have their covetous eyes on him for the Riders."

Dom laughed. The rivalry between the Queen's Riders and the King's Own was legendary. "Does Kel still have her other two charges with her?"

"Just Irnai. Loey is now in the tender clutches of my lady wife," he said as his grin turned wolfish. More seriously, he continued, "She's missed the date for this intake, but that doesn't mean she isn't useful as a message runner for the Riders until she can join next year's intake. Truth be told, I think Kel is beginning to fret more about what to do with Irnai."

"Well, she doesn't have to decide right this moment. Something will come up," Dom said, frowning. "The kid's got some pluck."

"That's what I told her, but you know how she is."

The men smiled at each other, both thinking about Kel's determination to do the very best by those she is responsible for. Dom thought it was one of her most admirable traits, and knew that people who cared for others as Kel did were few and far between.

Raoul stretched out in his chair, looking around. "I must say I like what you've done with the place," he said, waving his hand to indicate the room they occupied. "Glaisdan's style of decorating was rather too fussy for my tastes."

He grinned. Most of Glaisdan's personal effects had been removed and the room thoroughly cleaned and walls repainted by the time Dom moved in, though the furniture and some books and maps remained, which he would probably keep but check if there were newer editions available. His personal belongings from his old room barely filled his new bedroom.

"It's bare, sir. I'll have to host a decorating party."

Raoul grinned. "Oh yes—the other thing I had to tell you. All parties have come to an agreement and the treaty will be signed tonight. Details of terms are still under wraps, but I hear it is favourable to Tortall. I'll be sending two squads of Second Company to accompany the Scanran delegation back to the border next week, and they'll stay there until they're joined by the rest of Second when they relieve Third before winter."

"I saw Captain Ulliver this morning. He looked thoroughly harassed; I imagine he can't wait to leave Corus."

"Oh yes, he had some choice words to say when I told him he would wait to leave with the rest of Second Company. After First has had time to recruit." Raoul looked sympathetic.

"I did thank him though, for all the work he's done for us." Dom referred to the work Captain Ulliver had done in preparation for First Company's recruitment drive. Notices had been sent to fiefs with younger sons of an age to join the Own, and pasted in markets and other public places in all of Tortall's cities and larger towns for those who might have the inclination to join and enough money to supply their own horses, such as younger sons of wealthy merchant families. Word had also been sent to the Bazhir tribes of the Southern Desert, who had provided the Own with many fine warriors since Raoul had taken the post of Knight Commander.

"So your sergeants are all prepared for training to resume on Monday?" Raoul enquired.

Dom nodded. "When I spoke to Ulliver this morning we agreed that it would be most practical for the remainder of First to begin training drills with Second Company under his watch. Then we're free to get on with recruitment." He paused. "I want to see how they go and get more of an idea of where the men I don't know so well are at. I still need to appoint four more sergeants—but I would like to see the new recruits before then too so I'll have a better idea of where they'll all fit in."

"Wise," Raoul said, approvingly. He stood. "Well, I'm going to go and find this squire and see if he hasn't already had a better offer. I'll send word to Kel to meet here tomorrow afternoon to sort out details for Monday?"

Dom nodded. "Good luck with the squire, sir."

Late the next afternoon it was evident that Raoul had indeed managed to track down the squire, and been successful with his offer. He dragged the lad along to their meeting and sent him to fetch refreshments from the mess.

"Alan of Pirate's Swoop? Why didn't Lady Alanna take him?"

"I believe she offered, but only because she knew he would baulk at the prospect of spending four years under the tyranny of dear old Ma." Raoul grinned wickedly. Squire Alan's mother, also known as the Lioness, famously disguised herself as a boy to become a knight, and was now the King's Champion and renowned for wielding sharp edges; knife, sword and tongue. Raoul and Alanna had been pages together and remained close friends.

Kel arrived fifteen minutes later, apologising for her lateness. "I spent my morning standing in the middle of a room being stuck with pins at Lalasa's shop," she explained glumly. "I finally escaped. Yuki and Lalasa are in cahoots, and I have been informed that I will be among Yuki's attendants at the wedding."

Dom laughed, while Raoul just looked amused. Kel was about as pleased to be in the middle of social events as her former knight master. He noticed that Kel was wearing new clothes, but decided against commenting. They were undoubtedly the work of her former maid Lalasa; they fit her perfectly and the green of the tunic brought out the green in her hazel eyes.

"How is her highness doing, do you know?" Raoul enquired.

"Fine—Shinko says Duke Baird thinks the baby will arrive early, so perhaps another couple of weeks until the birth." She smiled. "The Yamanis are expected to arrive at Port Caynn in a few days, so she will be happy to see them when they get here."

Squire Alan returned with a plate of sweet rolls and a pitcher of chilled water with a twist of lemon. After he had filled their glasses, Raoul murmured his thanks and sent the lad to wait outside.

"Is that—"

"Lady Alanna's youngest son? Indeed he is." Raoul finished innocently, while Dom laughed at Kel's surprised expression.

Kel turned and looked at the door that Alan had just exited, clearly curious about her idol's son. "Does Lerant know yet?" she asked mischievously, turning back to them.

"Ah—he will soon."

Kel chuckled. "Poor Lerant." Dom thought four years with the Own had caused Kel to become quite similar to Lord Raoul in some respects, especially in humour.

They got on with the business of the meeting, and within a couple of hours they had a plan of attack for processing the prospective recruits on Monday afternoon. The men would be assembling at the practice courts at the rear of the palace, where they would split them up and take them through their paces to see what training was needed, and which men, if any, they would let go. Dom would take them through sword work and archery, Kel through pole-arms, and Raoul would see how they handled their horses. Raoul had winked at Dom and asked for Tobe's assistance, saying the Wildmage Daine would also come, though she was heavily pregnant with her second child. Kel agreed.

Raoul stood up to leave first. "Right, I have to go and do responsible knight-masterly things," he announced, and left.

Dom grinned at Kel.

"So how does it feel to be replaced?" he asked when the door closed behind Raoul.

She laughed. "I don't know. I hope he enjoys the jousting lessons. I might have to watch," she said wickedly.

Dom laughed also. He'd been there the first time Kel had jousted with Lord Raoul, and had watched her be repeatedly popped out of the saddle and sent sailing through the air. After a while, though, she got quite good and was rarely unseated these days.

"Will you take a squire, Kel?" he asked.

She thought for a moment. "I'd like to—but I can't afford it right now. Probably not until after Tobe's bond ends," she admitted.

"Where is Tobe now? You're hardly ever without your shadow." Tobe still didn't really trust Kel out of his sight since the Scanran rescue. Not that he was complaining. It was nice to have Kel to himself for a few moments, he thought, smiling.

"He's with Daine for the day, and so is Irnai. Tobe to have lessons in his magic, and Irnai offered to watch baby Sarralyn for Daine." She smiled. "Truth be told, it's been so nice not to have to worry about them today."

"What's Irnai going to do next week when you're with us?" Dom enquired, remembering Raoul had told him Kel was fretting.

"Lalasa has offered to take her on as an assistant in the shop for a few weeks. Fetching and holding things, offering ladies refreshments, nothing too strenuous for a nine-year-old. I'll get Neal to take her there Monday morning." Kel looked relieved.

They grinned at each other for a moment. Kel broke her gaze away first and looked around the room.

"Oh Dom," she said, with a shy look so brief he barely caught it. "Raoul told me you were complaining that your new rooms were bare. So I brought you something." The shyness was gone, tucked away behind her Yamani mask so firmly he told himself he must have just imagined it. She drew something small and wrapped in tissue paper out of her breeches pocket and passed it to him, and he was aware of her hand brushing against his briefly. He removed the tissue paper to reveal a lucky Yamani waving cat made of porcelain.

He grinned at her with gratitude, feeling his cheeks warm.

"I know just where to put it," he said, standing. Remembering his manners, he offered to give her a tour of his new rooms.

"I'm envious," she told him as they reached his bedroom. "Your new rooms are bigger than mine."

He grinned as he placed the Yamani cat on the small table next to his bed.

The bell for supper tolled.

"I hadn't realised it was so late," he commented, surprised. "Will you take supper in our mess? I believe you haven't met Captain Ulliver Linden yet."

Kel smiled. "I would like that," she said, and they began making their way to the Own's mess hall.

* * *

**A/N:** Thanks to those who have reviewed so far. I'll never refuse praise, but constructive criticism will also be welcomed.  
BTW, further updates will be sporadic. What is here so far is the result of me making myself look busy in order to avoid doing my study, but that will have to end if I'm to get my lazy bum through postgrad. :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

First Company had traditionally been made up of only nobles, while Second and Third also welcomed merchants and Bazhir tribesmen. However, the sheer number of men they needed to make up right after a war meant they would turn no one with a good sword arm and a head on his shoulders away because he didn't pop out of a noble womb. The conservatives and court fusspots would just have to get used to it. When Raoul had begun speaking with the King about the changes he wanted to make the King had agreed, citing the rising wealth and influence of the middle classes and the danger of alienating them.

However, among some of the remaining men of First Company, conservative social mores and certain snobbish attitudes toward the lower classes, and even lesser noble families, prevailed. Raoul had confided to Dom that while he had promoted him for his aptitude as a commander, for First Company it also helped that his family was in the Book of Gold and well connected with other powerful families.

They had met the prospective recruits at the first bell after lunch on an overcast but muggy Monday afternoon. Overall they were impressed with the calibre, but a few were politely thanked and told they would not be required. Dom, Raoul and Kel met again on Wednesday to compare notes and scrutinise character references. Before long, Dom and Raoul were able to work out who of the remaining men were to be promoted to sergeants. Among them was Geoffrey of Naxen, the youngest son of Gareth the Younger of Naxen, one of Raoul's closest friends. The young man was shrewd like his father, and though he clearly enjoyed larking about, was serious and reliable when necessary.

Of the recruits, Raoul was pleased to see young Daran of Trebond make the cut. Daran was a younger son of Lady Alanna's former man-at-arms Coram Smythesson, now Baron of Trebond. Kel was in equal amounts intrigued and perturbed to find a brother of her old nemesis Joren of Stone Mountain. The lad, Rorin, declared himself to be something of a family misfit, and that since Joren's death, his interactions with his father consisted of mostly negative comparisons to his dead brother, peevish comments and resentful silences. His family had made it abundantly clear that he was a disappointment to them, and his decision to join the Own appeared to be deliberately calculated to stir the pot. "Father doesn't know I'm here," he'd told Raoul with a scowl. "He says the Own has been ruined by filthy progressives who fraternise with commoners and sand scuts and encourage the pretensions to arms of jumped up merchant whores."

Kel wore her best unreadable Yamani expression, while Raoul later insisted, with a mischievous glint in his eye, that they sign the lad up. "What I wouldn't give to be there when old Burchard receives the news."

Dom shook his head and wrote Rorin of Stone Mountain's name on the slate for Geoffrey's squad, hoping the lad wouldn't be more trouble than he was worth. Despite the skill with arms he had demonstrated, he clearly had a great big chip on each shoulder and seemed more sensitive to criticism than most.

Next they wrote letters of offer to all the successful recruits and Raoul sent Squire Alan to deliver them. Finally, Dom got down to splitting up the remaining older members across the new squads so each one had a sergeant and two corporals, and the remaining seven men a mix of new and experienced members. He tried to do it so men with close bonds would not be separated, but he knew there would inevitably be grumbles at the changes when they were revealed. When all places had been filled, they would begin to train together as a company early next week. It was late by the time he finished writing out his plans, and the last thing he remembered before he went to sleep was Kel's Yamani cat waving to him from his bedside table.

True to his prediction, there were grumblings about the changes when they were announced, but after two weeks of training together, most settled down and got on with it as new friendships and routines began to form amongst the men. The most persistent complainers soon piped down when Dom tired of them and began assigning shifts of punishment work that ate into their free time. Kel and Raoul assisted with training drills to begin with before both were called away to other duties; Raoul to paperwork and reports, and Kel to wait on Princess Shinkokami when she went into labour. A week after the birth of a healthy baby princess, Kel returned to the Own and Dom enlisted the help of Master Oakbridge, the stuffy old Royal Master of Ceremonies, to instruct the new men in proper court etiquette. Kel assisted with her experience from the Yamani court, though with limited time they went over only what was necessary to properly greet the members of the current delegation present for the birth, should it be required in the course of their duties.

They would perform their first assignment as ceremonial guards at the naming ceremony for the baby princess in three weeks time, and then again the following week when Neal married Yuki, though Dom would be there as a guest rather than on duty. It would be an occasion of some diplomatic significance, with Lady Yukimi descended from an influential Yamani noble family and Neal the heir of a ducal house with close ties to the Contés and the Crown.

The naming ceremony was only a week away when Dom found himself at a loose end one Saturday afternoon. Bored, he went to seek out Neal in his rooms, but there was no answer when he rapped on the door. He shrugged and walked back the way he had come, before he turned and walked back past Neal's door towards Kel's rooms. Her door was ajar when he reached it, and he could hear voices conversing. He knocked and poked his head in.

"Dom!" Kel smiled. "Were you looking for me?"

He grinned. "Actually, I was just bored and looking for Neal, but he's not in his rooms."

He looked around and saw that Irnai was holding a wicker basket while a woman he deduced to be Lalasa briskly packed folded clothes into it. There was another woman present that he had seen during the Grand Progress before the war but had not been introduced to.

"Dom, may I introduce you to my mother?"

He bowed.

"Mama, this is Domitan of Masbolle, Captain of First Company of the King's Own. Dom was a sergeant in Third Company when I was Lord Raoul's squire. He's also Neal's cousin. Dom, my mother Lady Ilane of Mindelan."

Lady Ilane was just as tall as her daughter, and for a moment Dom thought that was where the similarities ended as he took in Lady Ilane's elegantly styled white hair, blue-green eyes and willowy figure. But when she smiled at him as she rose from her curtsey, it was clear they were mother and daughter. It was Kel's smile.

He bowed and apologised if he was interrupting their time together.

"Oh, no! We were just finishing up. Dress fittings, for the naming ceremony," Kel explained. "I'm about to visit Raoul—he wants to begin tilting lessons with Squire Alan."

"Do you mind if I accompany you? That sounds more entertaining than an afternoon spent annoying my cousin and his betrothed."

Kel smiled at him. "Of course I don't mind, Dom."

"I'll leave you young people to it," Lady Ilane told them, and shooed them out. "I can help Lalasa pack up here. Off you go."

He could hear Lalasa protesting, but Kel grinned like she knew who would prevail and began walking. They arrived at Raoul's rooms at the same time as Sir Myles of Olau, the King's spymaster.

Sir Myles greeted them cordially. Kel asked if he would like them to step outside if he had something to tell Raoul, but he laughed and said he was only stopping by to say that there had been developments in the Copper Isles, and it wouldn't take long for word to get around.

"The raka rebellion that has been brewing for months has happened," he told them once they had found seats in Raoul's study. "The Copper Isles have a new Queen, Dovasary Balitang. She has laurin royalty on her father's side, and the blood of the legendary raka queens of old on her mother's."

Raoul looked thoughtful.

"What does that mean for Tortall, Sir?" Dom asked.

"Business as usual for now," Myles told him flatly. "We still watch our coasts for Copper Isles pirates and slave traders. We will, of course, send a delegation for the coronation when it happens. Queen Dovasary is young and untested; there will be laurin nobility who fear a loss of privilege under a raka Queen, and some islands may resist her rule."

Raoul swore. "Sounds like a poisoned chalice to me," he said. "I don't envy her position. She's got a country ravaged from years of misrule by mad Rittevons, a divided people, and one foot planted firmly in each camp."

"Well," Sir Myles said mildly, "it would seem that she has some shrewd and canny advisors standing behind her. The real test of her rule now will be if she manages to unite her people.  
"It will be interesting to see how she marries. Her older sister Saraiyu would be queen now if she hadn't eloped to Carthak with Emperor Kaddar's cousin and chief healer—which is not a disadvantageous political connection for Dovasary. She also has a younger half sister who will undoubtedly marry politically when she is older."

The room was silent for a moment as they mulled over this piece of news. Dom looked at Kel, who caught his glance and gave him a small smile.

"I'm glad I'm just a simple knight," she said with some feeling.

"And I a soldier," he agreed.

"So mote it be," Raoul murmured.

After the afternoon's news, tilting lessons were postponed as Raoul decided he should see the King before he felt the need to summon him. Dom again found himself at a loose end, but this time, so did Kel. They settled on some sparring to pass the afternoon.

They headed to the practice courts and warmed up with the staff, with which Kel easily won their bouts. She switched seamlessly between Tortallan style staff work and wielding it as if it were her Yamani glaive. He had observed some of her style with the long weapon while she was Lord Raoul's squire and again in Scanra, but she was quick and had the advantage of having been using pole arms since she was six years old. They switched to swords and now they were more evenly matched. They went seven rounds with Dom winning four of them. She was faster on her feet with steady defence, but he had strength and several years of experience over her, and it eventually paid off for him as he seized a small opening take the seventh round. Kel grinned at him as his practice sword came to rest against her ribs.

"I think I need more practice," she said, straightening and pushing sweaty strands of hair from her eyes. Some of the shorter bits had come loose from their fastening.

"Gods curse it; I can't wait to get my hair cut."

"I like it longer, it looks nice. Different," he said, offering her a water skin. He was glad his cheeks were already flushed from their sparring. He knew he could be considered a flirt by many women, but somehow he only blushed when offering compliments to Kel.

She looked at him, her face blank but something odd in her eyes. Then it was gone.

"It's easier to manage when it's shorter. But Yuki and Lalasa have forbidden me from cutting it until after the wedding."

He grinned, though he privately thought her two friends had the right of it—Kel suited the extra length the times he'd seen her wear it down, and having it pulled back better highlighted the very elegant line of her jaw.

"But surely there would be nothing they could do if you cut it anyway," he said.

Kel shuddered visibly. "And incur Yuki's wrath? I'd rather tangle with a full grown griffin, thank you. And it's a bad idea to displease the woman who controls your wardrobe."

They walked over to the fence where a small audience had gathered. Shading his eyes against the sun he could see a group of Riders and the Own milling around. A tall Rider he recognised as Commander Evin Larse was scowling and counting coins into the hand of one of his sergeants.

"Captain!" the sergeant exclaimed as he turned. It was Geoffrey of Naxen. "I'm so glad you won. Father said he lost four gold nobles to Lord Raoul on a bet over Lady Kel's first tournament challenge."

"I'm just touched you weren't betting against me," he said drily. He heard Kel giggle.

"Don't be too touched, sir. It was actually Commander Larse who proposed the bet that you would lose." Geoffrey told him, straight-faced.

Kel laughed and patted Evin on the shoulder. "I'm sorry I lost you your bet," she said, her eyes dancing.

Some of Own and Riders also laughed at the expense of the tall blond-haired and blue-eyed Rider Commander.

Dom groaned and pointed his practice sword at Evin. "When did you get back, anyway?"

Evin was smiling again and leaning against the wooden rail. "Last night with Ghostwind, Group Askew, and the new recruits. We've been up north near Blue Harbour for the summer training camp," he said. Ghostwind and Group Askew were the names of two rider Groups, otherwise known as the Second and Seventeenth. Evin had been group commander of Second for some time, while Seventeenth had been Buri's Group before she resigned to marry Raoul.

"How's your new crop?" Dom enquired. "We've just got ours in First and we're starting to do training manoeuvres in the Royal Forest. I want to get in some joint exercises with the Riders before winter."

Evin grinned. "That's actually why I'm here," he said. "My office or yours?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The morning of the naming ceremony rolled around soon enough. The men would have the morning free to prepare, before the first shift assembled in the courtyard a bell before lunch. They would be positioned in the Great Hall of the Palace for the afternoon ceremony, half in dress mail and tunics, the remainder in civilian dress amongst the crowd. Dom and Raoul had met with the Lord Provost earlier in the week to coordinate the Provost's Guardsmen who would monitor the crowds that came up from the city to the steps of the Palace where they would wait until after the ceremony for the royal family to appear on the balcony above, hoping to catch a glimpse of the infant that may one day be Queen of Tortall.

Dom had risen early to get breakfast before the rush. After filling his tray, he spied the young Geoffrey of Naxen sitting with one of his men. He ambled over and set his tray down opposite them. Geoffrey greeted him cheerfully, and the other young man looked up. It was the Stone Mountain lad.

"Hullo," he told them. "Looking forward to our big day?"

Geoffrey just grinned wider, clearly unfazed, while Rorin swallowed hard. Dom laughed.

"Cheer up, Rory. You'll be fine." Geoffrey told the young man, losing none of his own cheerfulness. He drained his mug of tea and got up. "I'm off to the bathhouse before it gets crowded."

"That's my plan too. Eat up Rory, you want to get to the baths early on days like this, trust me," Dom said as the young man pushed his congealing porridge around his plate.

Dom regarded him for a moment before he shrugged and dug into his own porridge. He ate until he noticed the lad had put his spoon down and was watching him.

"Why did you give me the place?"

"Pardon?" Dom asked, his spoon pausing on its way to his mouth.

Rory was looking at him intensely. He had ash blonde hair, fair skin, and greyish eyes. He was rather ordinary in looks and manners, though Dom had heard from Neal and Kel all about the beautiful and charming but deeply rotten Joren of Stone Mountain. He'd observed this lad closely over the past few weeks, and Dom had come to the conclusion that Rorin of Stone Mountain was basically a decent sort, if not the best of company, and at times he even found himself feeling sorry for him. He was Lord Burchard's third son, and had spent most of his childhood beneath the notice of parents who lavished attention and praise on their golden boy Joren, whom they thought could do no wrong. They frequently turned a blind eye when Joren was often openly cruel to the younger children, and they in turn felt all the unfairness of it. Rory nursed his resentment against his family while at the same time clinging to the prestige of their House and the security that gave him. As a result, he was simultaneously arrogantly proud of his genealogy while calculating almost every action to vex his family, and his father in particular, in retribution for slights real and imagined. Dom suspected he didn't particularly mourn the death of his brother in the Chamber of the Ordeal either.

"Why did you accept me into the Own?"

Dom blinked at him.

"You satisfied the entry requirements, did you not?"

The lad still glared at him.

"That's not what I meant. No disrespect, but you're obviously all chummy-chummy with the lady knight. My brother tried to get her thrown out of training and paid some men to kidnap her maid. There's no love lost between my father and Lord Raoul. Why did you give me the place?" the lad repeated, mulishly.

_Obviously all chummy-chummy_? Dom sighed with exasperation and ran his hand through his hair. He'd heard plenty of people sneeringly insinuate that he or the other men had some sort of inappropriate relationship going on with Kel since she was Raoul's squire. The ones who said it to their faces usually didn't make the same mistake twice. Though he had admitted to himself some time ago now that his feelings for Kel had become more than what they had been, he was aware of how any relationship between them might be perceived by others who were not friendly to the lady knight and what she represented. It wasn't that he cared for their opinion, it was just trouble he was sure both of them could do without. Or at least that's what he told himself when he caught his mind wandering to thoughts about what it might be like to court her.

He picked up his spoon and stuck it in his porridge before answering.

"I'll just pretend for now that I didn't hear that insult to Kel's honour, but I _do not_ want to hear it again—ever. Am I understood?" He glared at Rory, who met his eyes stonily then looked away.

"As for why you're here, we know that whatever was bad between Kel and your brother was only between the two of them. I didn't even know Joren. As for my lord..." he trailed off, wondering how to phrase this without insulting Rory. "He believes everyone deserves a chance. Have you heard of Delia of Eldorne?"

Rory blinked at his apparent change of subject but nodded. "She conspired with Duke Roger of Conté to kill King Jonathan. Everyone knows," he mumbled.

Dom continued. "Her nephew is now Lord Raoul's standard bearer. Lerant applied for positions in the army, the navy, and even as a man-at-arms but was refused at all turns. No one wanted anything to do with a son of House Eldorne after his aunt's crimes. My lord heard about him and brought him into the Own, even though he didn't have to. Even though his aunt plotted to kill his friend." He smiled wryly at Rory. "You'll meet Lerant when Third Company returns to Corus, but I'd appreciate it if you don't tell him I told you this He's a good fighter and fiercely loyal to my lord, but he's a bit touchy about his family."

"Hmph. My family aren't traitors," Rory said defensively.

Dom rolled his eyes, losing patience. "For Mithros' sake, don't be obtuse. You know that's not what I meant."

He watched as Rory resumed pushing his porridge around, frowning. He was just as disagreeable as Lerant at his prickliest, he thought.

"Think on it. And you'll want to eat that. It's going to be a long day," he told him, finishing his own porridge and getting up.

The ceremony itself was uneventful, with only the royal family and representatives of many noble families and some powerful merchants in the Great Hall for the ceremony. The crowd outside was good-humoured despite the muggy day. They cheered as King Jonathan and Queen Thayet led Prince Roald and Princess Shinkokami onto the balcony above, and cheered more as they held up the baby Princess Lianokami. They stayed on the balcony for half an hour before retiring, but it was another two hours before the crowd had completely dispersed back down to the city. The second shift of the Own then positioned themselves in the banquet hall for the party held in honour of Roald and Shinkokami and their baby daughter. Dom, as Captain, was stationed near their Majesties and the Crown Prince.

From his post behind the monarchs, Dom observed Raoul who seemed to enjoy these events more lately. Probably because he got to be seated with Buri, and after their wedding, the greedy match-making mothers had moved on to other targets. Scanning the room, he spied Neal seated next to Yuki at a table with Duke Baird and Lady Wilina, and some Yamanis he supposed to be relations of Yuki's. He couldn't see his mother from his post, but he supposed she would be somewhere.

Course after course marched out of the kitchens and he could feel his feet starting to ache from the standing so long on stone floors. His stomach growled as the last course was served to the diners. _Should have stayed a sergeant with Third Company_, he told himself as he watched the diners eat.

At last the banquet was over, and the King rose and led the Queen to the ballroom. He waited until the last courtiers had followed before stretching his limbs and making his neck crack. The servants came and drew thick velvet curtains across the entrance of the arcade leading to the ballroom and set to work clearing the tables, and he headed toward the table closest to the kitchens where food had been placed for the men of the Own.

After wolfing down a plate of meat and vegetables, Dom thanked the men and dismissed them. He thought briefly about following them back to the barracks for games of chess or cards and mugs of cider in the mess, but as Captain he was invited to the party now underway in the ballroom. He straightened his tunic and adjusted his sword belt, before slipping behind the drapes across the doorway. Upon entering the throng of people in the ballroom, he accepted a glass of wine from a squire with a tray of drinks and looked for someone he knew while walking the periphery of the room.

He spied Yuki's brightly coloured Tortallan style gown of Yamani silk in amongst a cluster of finely dressed women around Queen Thayet and Princess Shinkokami, and looked in vain to spot Neal. He wondered where Kel was, since he hadn't seen her all evening. He'd caught a glimpse of her at the naming ceremony, where she had been elegantly statuesque dressed in a bronze silk kimono embroidered with stylised griffins and seated with her mother and some Yamanis. He wondered what sort of gown she would be wearing for the evening party.

He reached a section of bare wall and leaned against it. It was hot in this room and his dress mail was becoming uncomfortable. He swirled the wine in his glass and closed his eyes, sighing.

"You look like you're trying to blend in with the wall," a wry voice drawled from his left.

Surprised, he opened his eyes and returned the grin of this youngest sister.

"Irenie! I didn't know you were in Corus."

"Didn't Mama tell you? I've been invited to join the Queen's Ladies."

"No, but I've only seen Mama once since returning from the North," he told her, sheepishly. "I've been kind of busy. But that doesn't matter. My little sister, one of the Queen's Ladies!"

Irenie of Masbolle laughed, grey eyes dancing. She had the same very dark brown hair as Dom, and the lean but curvy figure of their mother. The most classically beautiful of the Masbolle sisters, she would fit right in with the group of well-bred young women that the Queen picked for their ability to keep up with her on horseback and use a range of weapons. Irenie was seven years younger than him—about the same age as Kel, he realised.

"Mama is exceptionally well pleased," she told him. "Erick running the fief for Papa, Katrine giving her beautiful grandchildren, you a Captain in the King's Own, Alise a strong healer, and now me one of the Queen's Ladies. Now she only has to worry about Garret."

Dom groaned and sipped his wine. "What _is_ Garret doing these days, do you know?"

Their second oldest brother flitted from one project to the next. After completing two years of page training he had decided knighthood wasn't for him and enrolled at the Royal University to study engineering instead, from which he graduated with high honours before returning to their home fief. For a couple of years he avoided their mother's attempts to find him a wife, before leaving for travels. Last Dom heard he was in Tyra building bridges.

"Gods only know! Katrine received a letter from him a few months ago. Apparently he's in Carthak now."

"He's probably staying away in case Mama tries to make him marry again," Dom suggested. "I'm so glad men in the Own aren't allowed to marry."

"Lucky for some. Alise and I will be next—Mama's not just in town for Neal's wedding, you know," Irenie informed him, rolling her eyes.

"Oh? Has she got any suitors lined up for you? Any I know?" he asked, grinning cheekily.

"None of your business, Domitan!" she said, shoving him. Then she looked at him slyly, and whispered, "Neal told me he thinks you're in love with Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan, and have been for at least since the war began."

He froze as his heart skipped a beat and he felt his face growing hot. He shoved her back in revenge.

"It's true!" she cried with gleeful triumph.

"Shhh! No, she's just a friend, and a good one at that. Meathead is full of it."

Irenie gave him a look full of disbelief, but dropped it. All of Neal's odd looks over the past few weeks made sense now. Panicked, he wondered if his crush on Kel was that obvious. Had Kel noticed too, but pretended not to? He didn't know how to feel about that scenario. Surely if Kel _hadn't_ noticed, Neal would have told her. Or would he?

He was distracted when a lady of Irenie's acquaintance spied them and called them over to a group of young ladies. Giggling, they all demanded Irenie introduce them to the "handsome Captain." He smiled and flirted with them a bit before he managed to extricate himself, deciding it safer to keep them at arm's length. He had become used to the idea that young ladies at court often fancied themselves in love with members of the Own, especially officers, and for most it provided a harmless sort of fantasy where they could flirt and enjoy a crush on a man in a dapper uniform who was not married but still completely unavailable. _He_ knew it was rarely personal.

However, there was always one or two who became fixated to an unhealthy degree, or would attempt to manipulate the object of their affections into marriage. It hadn't happened to Dom personally, but he'd seen it happen to others who had perhaps enjoyed the attention too much or made promises they couldn't keep, and it always ended in tears and bitter misunderstandings. As flattering as the attention could be, he decided it would be his personal rule not to encourage such attachments, and had advised the young men joining the Own to keep their wits about them and their breeches on if they wanted to avoid trouble.

Hearing Raoul's booming laugh above the din of the party, Dom managed to locate the Knight Commander of the Own in the book room adjoining the ballroom, trading stories with a small group of Tortallans and Yamanis. Neal found him there just over half a bell later, and from Yuki he learned that Kel had left already with Princess Shinkokami, who had tired early in the evening and wanted to return to the baby.

He hid his disappointment, but excused himself soon after that, saying he had been on his feet since dawn and his bed was calling. Ignoring Neal's look, he made his way back to his rooms, letting himself in through the courtyard door. He removed his dress tunic and mail, and slithered into bed. He glared at the Yamani cat on his bedside table, with its permanently serene smile and lifted paw, before turning his back to it and going to sleep.

* * *

**A/N**:

Thanks to the readers who left the lovely reviews. I really appreciate it. :)

**A/N2:**

Just re-uploaded with some minor changes where I wasn't happy with flow and stuff like that. This is a learning experience for me - I'm used to writing dry academic things. ;-)


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Dom slept fitfully the night after the naming ceremony. He woke at his usual time, but decided to stay in bed. He jerked awake after an hour of dozing as his mind returned to the short conversation he'd had with his sister the night before. Now he wondered who else Neal had been gossiping with. He supposed Neal had enough tact to not tell Kel, at least not outright, though he probably wouldn't be able to resist dropping hints. And if Neal had figured it out, then Yuki definitely knew.

Who else would Neal share his observations with? Sir Merric of Hollyrose popped into his head, though he hadn't given any indication he knew when they passed through New Hope. Suddenly and irrationally, Dom imagined Neal telling Uncle Baird, who might tell his aunt, who would then tell his mother, who might then want to know when he would leave the Own and start giving her more grandchildren. Which, of course, was out of the question right now.

He groaned and threw his blankets off.

And he'd thought it bad enough that Neal had told his sister, though he didn't think Irenie would tell anyone else, except maybe Alise if Neal didn't tell her first. Out of all his siblings, Dom was closest to his two younger sisters, and they were also close to Neal. Perhaps he needed to have a chat with Neal and ask him to kindly keep it to himself.

He groaned again and rubbed his face. This was ridiculous, he realised. Better to just pretend he didn't know that Neal knew and let it slide. Though hadn't he missed seeing Kel last night? Did she know about his feelings for her, and was purposefully avoiding him?

Disgusted at himself for continuing to entertain such thoughts, he rolled out of bed and dressed in a light shirt and breeches. A run along the curtain wall and back would calm his mind.

After a long run, a soak at the bathhouse and a late breakfast, he _did_ begin feeling more like himself again. He joked around in the mess with some of the men before returning to his office to attack some paperwork. After about a bell and a half there was a knock on his courtyard door and a servant showed his sister into the room. She was dressed smartly but comfortably in a flowing pale blue shirt over fawn-coloured breaches tucked into fashionable boots.

"I came to apologise," she told him ruefully. "I shouldn't have teased you last night. Neal _had_ told me in confidence."

He waved his hand to accept her apology.

"It is true though, isn't it? You admire her a lot."

He sighed and ran his hand through his hair.

"Yes, I do. But it doesn't matter—I'm basically wedded to the Own, Irenie. Especially now that I'm a Captain. And she's a good friend—I care about her too much to get involved if I can't do the right thing by her," he smiled wryly. "Besides, I have no idea if she even notices me in that way anyway."

He usually could figure out if a young woman fancied him or not, but Kel was completely unlike any other woman he knew. Sometimes, rarely, he was almost certain she welcomed his attention when he flirted with her, then other times she was completely inscrutable. It confused him and made him unsure of where he stood—apart from being her friend, of course.

His reverie was interrupted when Irenie grabbed his hands and squeezed them.

"Don't worry, I don't think Neal has told anyone else—except Yuki. I'll tell him to leave it alone if he brings it up again," she told him, smiling warmly and letting his hands go.

He felt a weight lift from his shoulders.

"I knew there was a reason you're my favourite sister," he told her, grinning.

"I bet you say that to all your sisters," Irenie retorted, laughing. "But I'll let it slide. I also came to ask you if you want to go down to the city markets with me this afternoon and Mama wanted me to ask if you would come to supper tonight at the townhouse."

He leaned back in his chair and thought about it. It was Saturday, and he wasn't required for any immediate duties. And though they shared sporadic letters, he hadn't really seen Irenie properly for several years now.

"All right, I'll come," he said, grinning.

Irenie hugged him and left to fetch her horse while he left messages for his sergeants with his plans and directions to the Masbolle townhouse should something come up. They met again at the palace gates and made a comfortable pace down the gentle sloping road to the city. Irenie talked about her excitement at joining the Queen's Ladies. She had spent much of the past ten years staying with a relative, learning to be a lady in waiting and training her Gift, which she had inherited from the Queenscove line. She was by no means as strong as Neal or Duke Baird, but she was good at protective charms and could patch up a wound well enough to keep someone alive until they could be seen by a stronger healer. Their sister Alise had also inherited the healing Gift, but a greater one, and had trained as a healer at the Royal University. None of his sisters had gone to the Convent like many other young noble girls, their mother believing it to be a joyless place run by dry, humourless old priestesses. The rest of the Masbolle children were Giftless, except for Garret who had a glimmer of something that must have come from their father's side, but only enough to summon light or start a small fire.

They chatted about their other siblings. Alise was in Corus again also, after serving as a healer at Northwatch for the latter part of the war, and their mother was putting feelers out for suitors for her two youngest daughters.

"Some of Kel and Neal's knight friends will be returning from the border soon," Dom told her. "They're good sorts. I think there are a couple that aren't spoken for yet."

Irenie made a face at him.

"You're as bad as Mama. She says Alise and I had better get serious or we'll end up old maids."

"Really, she just wants more grandchildren. She's already bugging Neal about nieces and nephews, you know."

"But she's already got grandchildren from Erick and Katrine! I think I shall have to marry into a fief as far from Masbolle and Corus as possible," Irenie joked.

"Be careful what you wish for—that just means she'll stay for longer visits to make the travel worth it!"

"Oh, I didn't think of it that way," she replied, wincing. "Perhaps I'll tell the Queen I've decided to join the Riders instead—then I won't be _able_ to marry."

They looked at each other and laughed as they reached the Masbolle townhouse. They stabled their horses and headed to the markets on foot, stopping at street stalls to get sweet buns, fruit, and candied nuts for lunch. They pored over the weapons on display at Raven Armoury, Irenie coveting a small knife and Dom trying to calculate how long he would have to save his captain's wages to comfortably afford one of the swords. They visited other shops and stalls and Dom picked up several small items to stash away for Midwinter gifts. For himself, he found a book on tactics that he hadn't read before, and a map of the hill country updated after survey work conducted during the Grand Progress. Irenie then wanted to visit a jeweller to clean and resize some family jewellery that their mother had given her upon her invitation to join the Queen's Ladies.

Looking around as he waited while Irenie chatted with the jeweller's apprentice, Dom noticed a pair of earbobs made of peridots set in gold claws that reminded him of the green and gold highlights in Kel's hazel eyes. He had noticed she had pierced her ears at Raoul's wedding and had been wearing emeralds then, though he hadn't noticed her wearing jewellery at any other time. He pretended he had not noticed the fine silver chain holding a charm under her shirt that many young women wore; he knew what _that_ was for. Still, he wondered if it would be appropriate to buy her jewellery.

On an impulse, he bought them anyway and tucked them and their little velvet bag into his belt pouch.

As they left the jeweller, a female voice called out to him from across the way.

"Captain Dom!"

He turned and spotted his cousin's betrothed, who had called out to him. With her were a serene Princess Shinkokami and Lady Haname, and a studiously blank Kel, trailed by four men of the Own acting as bodyguards for the princess, though he suspected she hardly needed them with her two ladies and Kel. It was more about appearances.

He grinned and walked over, Irenie on his arm. He bowed to the princess and ladies, before nodding to the men—they were from Marten's squad. Kel's dog Jump trotted over to greet him, panting happily.

"Your highness, my ladies. What a lovely surprise!" he said.

Shinko smiled and bowed her head graciously in acknowledgement. Her eyes flicked from him to Irenie and he introduced his sister, who curtseyed. The ladies murmured their pleasure at meeting, and Dom noticed that Kel's Yamani mask had lost most of its studiousness, and she was now smiling a little. They were on their way to Lalasa's shop further up the way for final fittings before Neal and Yuki's wedding the next week, and invited Irenie to join them. Dom fell in by Kel and Shinko while Yuki and Irenie, who had met briefly before, chatted about dresses and fabrics with Lady Haname ahead of them.

Kel apologised for not seeing him the previous night, but Shinkokami cut in and apologised for dragging her away from the party instead.

"You probably wanted to catch up with people, and you really didn't have to leave with me," the princess scolded her friend.

Kel shrugged, grinning. "I was afraid I would embarrass you by joining Raoul and Buri behind the curtains if I stayed. Dom, I'm sorry I didn't get a proper chance to admire your pretty dress mail last night," she told him, eyes laughing over a serious expression.

He laughed uneasily.

"I didn't even see you! Are you sure you _weren't_ behind the curtains? But I didn't stay long either. It was a long day for the boys and me."

"Oh," she breathed softly.

Shinko recovered the conversation by asking astute questions about the progress of First Company's new recruits, and the training exercises they would undertake with the Queen's Riders in the Royal Forest after the wedding was over and the Yamani delegation returned to the Islands. She hid part of her face behind her fan and giggled when one of the men, overhearing their conversation, chimed in to say that he'd heard Evin Larse was forming new Rider Groups, and one of them wanted to call themselves Shinko's Blades.

They reached Lalasa's shop, and the ladies were greeted at the door by Lalasa herself and her right-hand woman Mistress Ploughman. The shop was teeming with ladies and their maids, so Dom and the men elected to wait in the small courtyard at the side. The sun was beginning to drift lower in the sky, but there was a bench seat against the wall that was still in the light, so they sat there and chatted idly.

A few minutes later, the side door swung open and the girl Irnai scurried into the courtyard carrying a tray with a pitcher of something cold and some tumblers, and a bowl of water for Jump who had also decided to wait outside. She set it on an upturned wooden crate in front of them and poured the drinks, curtseying as Dom thanked her and took a glass. She straightened and looked up at him, a slow smile spreading across her face.

"Lady Kel will like the pretty green earbobs very much," she told him, nodding with approval. Before he could even register his shock, she had scurried back inside.

"What was that all about?" the man on his left wanted to know.

Having mastered his surprise, Dom shrugged.

"The kid's a seer, you know," said the corporal with them, Tristren of Tameran. Dom cursed inwardly as he realised the corporal had travelled back from the border with Kel and her foundlings in tow, and knew of Irnai's unusual Gift.

"She's an orphan from the war. Lady Keladry brought her back from New Hope because she spooked the villagers. Though I can't say it isn't uncanny when she Sees something," the man explained.

One of the other new soldiers made the Sign against evil on his chest. Dom shook his head at their superstition while Tristren cleared his throat and pretended to cough into his hand.

"So. Buying trinkets for the lady knight, are we Captain?"

Dom wished he had a Yamani mask as he raised an eyebrow at the corporal.

"I hadn't," he lied. "But now I know what to get her for Midwinter this year. Pretty green earbobs."

He supposed he definitely would have to save them for Midwinter now. The men were unlikely to let him forget about this.

They ribbed him a bit, but dropped the subject when he began to get annoyed. After a while the courtyard door swung open again and Irnai beckoned to them, indicating that the ladies had finished inside. Dom and Irenie walked with the others as far as the road back to the palace, where the groups bade each other farewell and parted ways.

"I like her," Irenie told him once they were far enough way to be out of earshot. "I think I can see why _you_ like her too."

He grinned, but didn't reply.

"Oh! But the dresses in that shop! The Yamani silks and Tyran glass beads! I'm going to have to take Mama—she would just love Mistress Isran's work," Irenie told him. In fact, she managed to fill the rest of their walk back to the townhouse with chatter about what the other ladies had said and done and her excitement at being invited to join them for their morning glaive practices to learn how to use the weapon.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Neal and Yuki were married before a priestess of the Goddess in an intimate afternoon garden ceremony at the palace. The marriage contracts had been signed that morning by Neal's parents and Yuki's aunt and uncle, who had made the voyage from the Yamani Islands to represent her side of the family, before the guests gathered at the terrace garden outside one of the palace ballrooms for the ceremony. Yuki wore a simple silk kimono of pure white, the only colour in her ensemble coming from her painted red lips and the gold _shukusen_ tucked into her white obi, while Neal wore his best tunic and hose in Queenscove colours.

After the ceremony, Kel and Lady Haname came forward with a heavy silk brocade robe of a deep scarlet patterned with golden cranes and chrysanthemum blooms. They helped Yuki into the heavy garment and everyone clapped and cheered as Yuki and Neal rejoined hands and walked to a carved wooden settee that had been placed under a pergola covered in the white blooms of a climbing rose. Once they were seated, guests came up to congratulate the newlyweds and offer their blessings, Neal's parents and Yuki's uncle and aunt doing the first honours, followed by the King and Queen and Roald and Shinkokami.

Dom hung back as his mother and sister moved in to offer their congratulations on behalf of the Masbolle family, hoping to get a moment where he could tease Neal without Lady Lavinia glaring disapprovingly.

"Masbolle!"

He turned to face the red-headed Sir Merric of Hollyrose and grinned. He was with Sirs Seaver of Tasride and Esmond of Nicoline, another two of Kel's year-mates who had also joined them in Scanra.

"When did you lot get back?" he asked, clasping arms with Merric.

"Just a couple of days ago," Merric told him. "I wouldn't miss this for the world!"

"Merric has listened to Neal's bad poetry and put up with his moping for three years," Seaver joked. "He didn't want it all to be for nothing."

Dom laughed and looked at Merric.

"My condolences," he told him.

"I'm glad you understand," Merric grumbled as the others laughed.

"Did you see Kel?" demanded Esmond. "I almost didn't recognise her."

Dom had done a double take when he saw Kel too, but not because he didn't recognise her. Deducing from what Irenie had told him after the visit to Lalasa's shop the previous week, he knew that Kel and Lady Haname were dressed in the latest fashion. From the custom of Princess Shinkokami and the Yamani ladies, Lalasa had developed a network of contacts with fabric merchants in Corus and the Islands, and was importing silks, brocades, and printed cottons with exotic patterns for her shop, and had employed young women who could embroider Yamani-inspired patterns on Tortallan wools and linens.

For the wedding, Kel and Haname wore dresses of red Yamani silk in the bodice and sleeves, layers of some sort of lightweight white cotton embroidered with red in the long flowing skirts, and gold obi-like sashes. Both wore their hair pulled back and done up with jewelled pins, a few gently curled locks framing their faces. Their lips were painted red like Yuki's, and they wore gold earbobs.

"As Owen would say, she looks like a girl," Merric joked.

"Do you remember when we were pages and she'd wear dresses to supper?" Esmond asked the other two, who grinned.

"I couldn't believe it at first! But I haven't seen her wear a dress in years. Not even for Midwinter at New Hope."

"She wore one for Lord Raoul's wedding at Steadfast," Dom told Merric. "Half of the numbskulls in Third Company didn't recognise her then either."

They moved closer to the group surrounding Neal and Yuki. Neal's former knight mistress and her husband moved to congratulate the couple.

Prince Roald and Princess Shinkokami drifted towards them, Roald carrying their baby daughter in his arms. Dom and the three young knights bowed to the prince and princess, before Roald proudly showed Lianokami off to his knight friends. They eventually drifted off again to talk to others, and Dom finally made it to the pergola where Neal and Yuki were seated.

He grabbed Neal's hand and shook it vigorously.

"Sir Meathead! Lady—"

"Don't you dare you abuse my wife with that ridiculous name, cousin!" Neal warned him. Dom raised an eyebrow at him. Calling Yuki Lady Meathead _had_ crossed his mind, and had been amusing for all of three seconds before he decided it wasn't worth her _shukusen_ coming into contact with his skull.

"I wouldn't dream of it. Lady Yukimi."

He bowed to Yuki and grabbed her hand, kissing her fingers. She giggled and hid part of her face behind her golden _shukusen_.

"I guess it's '_Cousin_ Yuki', now that we are family," she smiled.

He stayed and chatted for a couple of minutes, offering his congratulations and teasing Neal about the nieces and nephews Lady Lavinia expected them to give her. He moved on to let other people bestow their best wishes upon the couple.

He looked around and spied Kel and her mother Lady Ilane chatting to Duke Baird, and his sister Irenie tugging their mother's sleeve to get her attention nearby. Dom sauntered over and stopped behind Kel.

She turned and smiled widely at him.

"Dom! Have you been to talk to Neal and Yuki yet?"

He nodded and bowed to Lady Ilane and his uncle when they turned. Irenie had got the attention of their mother and the pair had reached their group. Duke Baird introduced Lady Lavinia to Kel, and the older generation renewed their acquaintance from their days at court before they married. Dom, Kel, and Irenie drifted away as the conversation became about people their parents knew over thirty years ago, and rejoined the group of young knights.

Kel's year-mates teased her about her dress and lip paint, making jokes about how they didn't recognise her. Dom noticed a flash of annoyance in her eyes before she brought up her Yamani mask, but she ignored their boorish teasing and instead nudged Dom to indicate he should Introduce Irenie to the young knights. He did so, and within ten minutes they were in her thrall, Kel and her dress forgotten.

Kel laughed and turned to him after watching Irenie flirt with her friends. They walked a few steps away together.

"Now you've done it. She's going to be all they talk about for weeks," she said drily.

He laughed.

"Irenie can handle herself," he said. He watched her face for a moment, before leaning closer and saying quietly, "I'm afraid I must abuse your friends' eyesight. You look wonderful today."

She giggled.

"Lalasa could make a cow look wonderful, she's that talented. Lady Haname is much lovelier than me."

He frowned. He'd overheard Kel make a comparison between her own looks and that of a cow before. It was at Steadfast a few days after Raoul's wedding, and Kel and Yuki were warming up with their practice glaives just after dawn one morning while he was sneaking behind a store shed on his way to set a prank on a group of Riders. He knew that their conversation wasn't for his ears and didn't stay to hear more, but it upset him to realise that Kel considered herself to be undesirable. She certainly wasn't a conventional or exotic beauty like Lady Haname, but she had grown out of her boyish looks and become lovely in her own way over her squire years, and while _she_ may not have noticed, Dom certainly had.

He grabbed her hand and held it.

"No, Kel. _You_ look wonderful," he told her, smiling earnestly. He was certain he must be reddening a little from the heat in his cheeks.

She blushed slightly and giggled, withdrawing her hand.

"You're just trifling with my maiden's heart," she told him, looking down her nose at him just like Neal would.

"I never!"

He put a hand to his chest and tried to affect a pained expression, but failed. She laughed and elbowed him.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"For being silly,"

"Sorry, Mother."

She elbowed him again.

"Don't call me that. Look," she said, pointing, "they're opening the doors to the dining room now. We'll go in and eat soon, and then there will be speeches."

Dom looked where she pointed, and indeed it wasn't long before Neal and Yuki got up from their seat as the crowd to congratulate them thinned. Kel left him then and went to Yuki with Lady Haname to carry the train of her heavy robe.

Kel had told him that red was a particularly auspicious colour for weddings in the Yamani Islands, but that Yuki would never wear the red robe again. Instead it would become a family heirloom, to be passed down to her daughters and granddaughters for their weddings if they wished to wear it. Dom grinned, remembering that Kel had told him that Irnai had Seen Neal's daughter trying for her knighthood one day, but that they decided not to tell him.

As the guests entered the dining servants appeared at their elbows and guided them to their places. He found himself seated opposite Kel, Lady Ilane, and some Yamanis, with his mother and sister seated nearby also. They toasted the couple and over the next hour and a half enjoyed several courses of food with subtle Yamani influences and flavours incorporated into traditional Tortallan dishes. He could see Yuki's meticulous hand in all of the details from the food to the seating arrangements, and was glad that his cousin had found a wife who was a tactful and gracious hostess, and who could balance some of Neal's tendency to alienate people he disliked or disagreed with.

After the food had been cleared from the tables, the servants refilled their glasses with wine or juice for the mages and the speeches and more toasts began. After Duke Baird and Yuki's uncle had delivered speeches on behalf of the families, Kel was obliged to make a speech as the person who had first introduced Neal and Yuki to each other, as well as being a childhood friend of Yuki's and Neal's best friend since their page years. She shared several anecdotes that had Neal burying his head in his hands and Yuki's face hidden behind her _shukusen, _while the guests wittered with laughter. Lady Alanna got up and made a speech about Neal's squire years while her husband chipped in with little quips and additions. Princess Shinkokami offered a speech on Yuki's last years in the Islands and their coming to Tortall. After a few more from other speakers, Neal and Yuki stood to offer their thanks and invited the guests to move into the ballroom where musicians waited, and promised to rejoin them in a few minutes.

Kel and Lady Haname had excused themselves from their dining companions and moved to join Yuki, assisting her with the robe as they walked together toward a side room. When Yuki rejoined the party in the ballroom, she wore a scarlet red Tortallan-style gown embroidered with white orange-blossoms on the bodice. She joined Neal and they lead the first dance before other couples took to the floor.

Dom noticed the young knights clustered around his sister and shook his head. He soon found himself in conversation with Baron George, who told him about the progress of the town of Bay Cove that Third Company had cleared of pirates with the help of the Baron, and just over a year later, returned to help the townspeople recover from an earthquake. The man also seemed to have good knowledge of the current situation in the Copper Isles, but Dom wasn't surprised as he'd years ago figured out that the Lioness' husband's line of work dealt in information and the acquisition thereof.

Eventually he got pulled into the dancing, first with a young lady he was certain he met at the party after the naming ceremony, though he did his best not to let on that he'd forgotten her name. Afraid she might realise, he escaped to dance with Irenie, who told him she was Lady Greta haMinch and one of the Queen's Ladies. He then found himself dancing with Yuki, who with a mischievous twinkle in her eye, handed him to Kel and returned to Neal.

They planned this, he realised. Nonetheless, he wasn't unhappy to be dancing with Kel, whose cheeks were rosy from the rice wine toasts and the dancing. He found himself grinning foolishly as he flirted, and with her inhibition slightly dulled from the alcohol, Kel had let her guard down a notch and laughed and giggled more freely. He knew she hadn't had that much to drink, but that she also usually avoided anything stronger than cider. They danced two dances before Kel was pulled away to dance with her knight friends, and Dom went in search of refreshments.

Eventually the eleventh bell after noon tolled, and the musicians put down their instruments. The crowd had thinned a bit over the last hour, but there were enough people still around to throw rice over the newly-weds and make jokes loaded with lewd innuendo as Neal and Yuki left the ballroom together.

Dom found himself to be one of the last to leave, along with Kel, Merric, Seaver, and Esmond. The three younger men decided to go to a tavern on the way down to the city and headed off, laughing and talking loudly. Kel had elected not to join them, saying she didn't want more of a headache the next morning than she would already.

He offered her his arm and they strolled back towards her rooms, chatting about the day. When they reached her door, he was surprised when she invited him in.

"I'm not ready to sleep yet. Or rather, I won't sleep after that _sake_," she admitted. "Would you like to come in and sit with me for a while?"

"Sure," he said automatically, though he was fair tired himself.

She smiled and opened the door, before entering and lighting some candles. The room they were in was a sitting room not unlike the one in his rooms. To his left a door lead to Kel's bedroom and dressing room, while to his right there was a closed door that Kel pushed open and poked her head in, using a candle for light. She closed it again and smiled.

"Tobe's fast asleep," she told him. "He left with Daine right after the ceremony."

He took a seat on a low divan style sofa next to the cold hearth. Kel opened a door on the sideboard at the other end of the hearth and took out two glasses, placing them on a tray with a pitcher of water and a bowl of fruit. She placed that on a low table in front of Dom's sofa and pulled up a footstool for herself, sitting with her skirts fanned out around her.

"Peaches from the Yamani Islands," she said happily, picking one up and cutting it with the knife she'd also retrieved from the sideboard. Dom followed suit.

"They're delicious," he said, mouth full.

"Mama got them because she's here with the delegation, though they're not as good as when you eat them straight off the tree in the Islands," she said with a nostalgic sigh.

She poured the water into their glasses and they ate in silence for a while. Dom liked how silence with Kel was always companionable and never felt uncomfortable, though he was first to break it.

"Do you think you'll ever go back?" he asked, yawning.

"I want to. My lord said he would give me leave until spring if I wanted to go back for winter with Mama and the delegation, but I'm not ready just yet."

"The delegation leaves next week."

"I know."

"What's stopping you, then?"

She fidgeted for a moment and looked away.

"I've got too much keeping me here right now," she said finally.

Dom watched as she stood and picked up the tray, walking to the sideboard and moving some dishes. He changed his position on the sofa so he could straighten out and lay his head against the arm rest, mulling over what she had just said. He yawned again and realised he didn't want to move.

Before he knew it, he had fallen asleep and didn't even wake when Kel gently pulled off his boots and laid a blanket over him.

* * *

**A/N:**

Phew! The next chapter will be a long one. Also, another thanks to those who have read and left the very kind reviews. It's very encouraging. :)


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Dom slept deeply, though his dreams were strange and he woke with a start as he realised he wasn't in his bed. He sat up to meet Tobe's amused blue eyes as the boy put a tray of sliced peaches and a mug of black tea down in front of him.

"I thought you was going t' sleep forever, Captain."

Dom yawned and stretched. His neck was stiff and his left side was numb from the way he'd been laying.

"What time is it?"

"Ten past the sixth bell."

He groaned and cursed for no particular reason.

"Where's Kel?" he asked, moving slowly towards the tray and picking up a bit of fruit.

"Doin' her exercises."

She must have heard them conversing, because the door to her room opened and she walked into the sitting room dressed in breeches and a light shirt. She grinned at Dom.

"Good morning. Did you sleep well?"

"Surprisingly well, all things considered," he said wryly, rubbing his neck.

"Oh good. I hadn't the heart to wake you last night. I turned my back for two minutes and you went out like a snuffed candle."

He chuckled.

"It's been a long week, I suppose. It just overtook me all of a sudden."

She grinned but she was eyeing up Tobe, who was staring off into space as he idly scratched Jump behind his good ear. Kel reached out and grabbed the startled boy by the arm and pulled him up from his seat, sniffing.

"Tobe, you should visit the baths. Remember to scrub under your arms and change into fresh clothes. Go do it now."

She said in a tone that made it clear this was not up for discussion. The boy scowled but went to gather a change and left to do as he was told.

Dom laughed when the door closed behind him.

"Mother is an apt name for you, you know."

She grimaced and took the seat Tobe had vacated.

"He's getting to that awkward age," she told him.

Dom knew what she meant. He was certain Tobe had grown another inch since they'd been back in Corus, and his voice was alternating between high-pitched squeaks and breaks, and a deeper young man's voice.

"Do you think you could talk to him sometime? I've tried explaining how bodies change and why he needs to bathe more than once a week now—preferably daily—but he doesn't want to know. At least, not when it's _me_ telling him."

Dom laughed so much he had to wipe tears from the corners of his eyes. "What makes you think he'll start bathing more if it's me telling him? Twelve-year-old boys are allergic to soap and water."

"Oh, I don't know! Perhaps because you were a twelve-year-old boy once? Besides, there will be other questions he might have that I can't answer."

He could have sworn he heard a pleading note in her voice, and he noticed that she was blushing a little. He grinned.

"Sure, I can talk to him. But wouldn't Neal be better? He's a healer after all."

"But Tobe likes you, and you have more patience than Neal," she said, shrugging.

He laughed and picked up his tea, watching her over the rim of the mug.

"What's so funny?" she asked.

"I'm just trying to imagine how the conversation went."

Kel laughed now too.

"Well, it wasn't worse than the time when I was a squire and my lord felt the need to tell me about lovers. But at least _I_ could go and ask Mama about the rest."

At this, Dom laughed so long and hard that tears leaked from the corners of his eyes and his belly began to ache. Kel watched him with an amused expression on her face.

"Do I want to know how that conversation went?" he finally managed to ask.

"Ah—not really. I still don't know which one of us was more embarrassed," she admitted.

Dom chuckled some more. He could just picture Raoul blushing and stumbling his way through such a conversation with his young lady squire.

"I had a similar conversation with some of the new lads a few weeks back," he said. "Told them to keep it in their breeches to save embarrassing trips to the healers or being obliged to resign because they got the wrong girl pregnant."

Kel nodded. They chatted for a while longer, before Dom decided it was probably time for him to take his leave.

"Thanks for the use of your sofa, but I'm afraid I also need to bathe and change," he said, adjusting his now creased and crumpled tunic. He knew his hair must be sticking up oddly because every now and then he noticed Kel's eyes drift up to it.

"Still dressed the same as yesterday—your men might think you don't take your own advice," Kel teased.

"And I can't have that," he agreed, pulling his boots on and standing.

Kel opened the door and looked out.

"Coast is clear. Shoo before someone comes and thinks we've been canoodling or something," she told him, grinning.

"But if we were canoodling, my clothes wouldn't look like I slept in them," he protested.

Kel blushed and giggled, before shoving him into the corridor.

"Thrown out just like that? Not even a kiss goodbye?" he asked mournfully.

He was expecting a tart retort to that, so it was to his complete surprise when Kel leaned up and kissed his mouth. It was a brief kiss, and they broke apart and stared at each other for a short moment. Kel looked just as shocked as he felt.

Then she giggled.

"Are you going to stand there catching flies, or were you going somewhere?" she asked tartly. There it was.

"Oh...yes. Uh, catch you later," he stammered and fled.

To his chagrin, he ran into some men from Second Company on his way back to his rooms. They took one look at him wearing his civilian dress clothes from the previous day and grinned.

"Did you have a good night, Captain?" one man called as another guffawed.

"Best sleep on a friend's sofa I've ever had," he replied with a straight face. _It's not a lie and it wasn't until the morning that it got interesting_, he thought to himself.

Figuring that those soldiers would gossip, he decided there was no reason to try and sneak anymore as it would just make it look like he was trying to hide something. He entered the barracks from the main door and walked down the internal corridor to his rooms, but didn't see a soul. Now he did change into more casual clothes and headed to the baths, where he took advantage of the quiet and soaked until his fingertips looked like raisins.

He tried not to over analyse Kel's kiss too much. Could she have been playing a joke on him? It would serve him right for teasing her. Yet a small voice in his head insisted that maybe she kissed him because she wanted to, and that he should just admit that they had been dancing around each other since they returned from Scanra. But if he were to entertain the possibility that Kel might want more than just friendship from him, then that made it necessary to consider the possible consequences.

He couldn't marry without resigning, and he had once overheard Kel say that she didn't mind having no dowry as the youngest daughter of a large family, since she was more interested in her knighthood and didn't want to be tied down. Still, he knew it was a possibility that her desires would change as she got older and, she might decide she wanted someone who was free. There would also come a time when children and whether or not to have them would become an issue for her. He knew his younger sisters did want to marry and have children, though they weren't going about it with as much haste as their mother would like.

And if they were to become lovers, there would be no way to know if it would even work out. They would both be busy with their duties; him with the Own, and her as a knight, both going where the Crown ordered them to go. They could go months and possibly years without seeing each other, and much could change in those between times. He didn't want to have a falling-out and lose a friendship he considered just as valuable as Neal's.

Or worse, one of them could be killed on duty, which was not a possibility to be ruled out.

And then there was the fact that nothing remained private for long when you were attached to a company of a hundred gossiping soldiers plus servants. The teasing would be tiresome, but would eventually fade as they ceased to be interesting and new topics came along. But the snide remarks and insinuations from conservatives and court busybodies would continue unabated, and possibly get worse as they would likely take any relationship between them to be confirmation of all their worst prejudices about her. Not that that would stop him if she didn't care—and all the indications were that she _didn't_ care about the opinions of people who had already decided they didn't like her. He knew the gossips had Raoul in bed with other men for years before he and Buri came together, but the gossip didn't stop or lose any of its venom, it just changed. But they wisely ignored it, and the people who mattered knew it was all rubbish.

He sighed and decided that he would have to talk to Kel to find out what the kiss meant. _But perhaps I should wait and do it tomorrow_, he told himself.

Despite his best intentions, he didn't see Kel the next day, or for the next fortnight. The weather auguries that came in for later that week predicted early autumn storms, so he and Evin Larse roused their troops at short notice and led them into the Royal Forest for training manoeuvres and practice in tracking and bushcraft. They didn't escape the storms entirely, but Dom didn't intend to; some of his new men were too used to their creature comforts and needed a taste of what they'd be in for later when Third Company relieved them of court duties. For Dom, he was glad to be away from the Palace even for a short while. The antics of the Own and the Riders in their downtime provided some amusement, with the older members of both forces having initiated their newer members into the traditional rivalry. The distraction and company of the Own and Riders was welcome as it kept his mind off Kel.

Two weeks later, they arrived—tired, damp, smelly, and muddy—back at the Palace. He dismissed the men with instructions to care for their horses and gear and prepare to resume normal training and duties the next morning. After looking after his own gear and visiting the baths, he headed to the mess for a quick supper before retiring to his office to make a start on reports. After two bells he was lighting candles against the quickly fading light when Raoul entered his study, followed by Buri, and to his surprise and perturbation, Kel.

Raoul grinned, Buri smiled serenely, while Kel's face was expressionless. He stood to greet them and they moved to the sitting room, where he poured glasses of spiced apple juice from a pitcher on the sideboard.

"There's been a change in plan," Raoul announced. "I _was_ going to go and bring Third Company back myself, but now I'll remain in Corus instead."

"Tell him why," Buri said, grinning at Dom and elbowing her husband.

"We're going to be parents," Raoul burst out.

Dom stood and clasped arms with his Commander in congratulation. Raoul's cheeks were redder than usual, and Dom was almost certain he'd never seen the man look happier than he did just now.

"But it's going to be a difficult, possibly dangerous pregnancy," Buri added, her dark eyes sober in spite of her lopsided smile. "Alanna, Baird, and Thayet have ordered me to stay at the Palace where I can be monitored by healers."

Raoul nodded.

"I'm going to stay here with Buri," he said quietly. "Just in case."

Dom nodded, noticing now that underneath their excitement was real and immediate concern. They had left it late in life to marry and have children. Raoul was just shy of fifty, and Buri would be about thirty-eight or thirty-nine he realised. That was old for a first time mother, and with two of the realm's most senior healers and the Queen concerned for the health of both Buri and the child, Raoul would understandably want to remain nearby.

"May the Goddess bless," he murmured. It sounded like Buri would need all the help she could get.

He sighed, leaning back in his seat and glancing at Kel, who had remained silent. He caught her eye.

"So, Third Company will be back in just over a month then. The boys in my old squad will be pleased to see you. They've been practicing a ballad they learned last Midwinter."

"You mean the one about the Protector of the Small and her noble steed?" Raoul asked innocently. "I think they've even added a couple of verses of their own."

Kel rolled her eyes.

"Why did that stupid name have to catch on?" she groaned.

"And you think I like 'Giantkiller' any better?" Raoul asked wickedly.

"Better get used to it kiddo. These things have a habit of sticking," Buri told Kel with a cackle. She stood and put her hands to the small of her back. "I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm going to go outside and enjoy my relative freedom while it lasts."

Now that she was standing and he was aware of her condition, Dom could see the slightest curve to her belly. She caught him looking and smiled, resting her hand just below her belt.

"Have you seen Evin about? I better go and tell him the news."

Dom nodded.

"He was heading into the men's baths as I was leaving about three bells ago."

Raoul got up and looked at Kel, who shook her head and remained where she was as they left through the courtyard door. Dom's thoughts raced as he tried to think of something to say that wasn't supremely idiotic.

Kel broke the silence first.

"Well, this is awkward," she said matter-of-factly.

He allowed himself to give a small smile and she continued, "I wanted to talk about what happened the morning after the wedding."

Dom could feel himself pale. He looked up at Kel's face and was surprised to see a decided pinkish tone to her cheeks, though her hazel eyes retained their usual steady gaze.

"I..." they both started at the same time and grinned. Dom indicated that Kel should talk.

"I don't know what to say," she admitted. "I'm usually better at controlling impulses. I'm sorry."

Dom looked at the floor while he tried to think of how to reply. Then something occurred to him.

"You're only apologising for not having more control," he stated carefully, meeting her eyes. He noticed the blush on her cheeks deepen and spread to her ears. This was highly unusual.

She babbled.

"That's bad enough. At the Yamani court—"

"Are you saying you wanted to kiss me?" he interrupted. She was beating around the bush more than Neal at his most avoidant.

"Ah..."

He could feel his pulse quickening and his hands had begun to shake.

"I didn't mind," he said quietly.

"What?" she blinked.

"I said I didn't mind. I was just so surprised. I didn't think you... I... I actually liked it," he stammered. When he looked at her face she was blinking at him dumbly with her mouth open.

"Kel, you're catching flies," he observed wryly.

She closed her mouth.

"You... liked me kissing you?"

"Is it that really so unbelievable?"

He stood and moved to sit next to her, taking her hands. They trembled as much as his.

"Kel... you know you mean a lot to me."

"As a friend, or more than that?"

"Both."

"Oh."

"Kel, if you don't want me to be more than..."

He didn't finish because she leaned forward and kissed him again. This time he returned the kiss, while part of him couldn't believe it was really happening.

They broke apart, breathing raggedly.

"I don't know what I want," Kel admitted. "I like you, Dom—I have for a long time. But our duties..."

"I know," he said quietly. "We don't have to decide anything right now. We don't even have to do anything if you prefer."

"I never really entertained the idea that you might have feelings for me in return. I... I need time to think about this. About what this means."

"Me too," he said.

Despite talking about not doing anything, he kissed her again. When they broke apart, she laid her head on his shoulder and he shifted slightly so he could put his arm around her, while one of her hands found his. This close, he could smell the warm scent of her body mixed with a faint floral smell of soap.

He sighed happily and kissed her hair.

"How long?" she asked after they had been silent for a few moments.

"Pardon?"

"How long have you wanted this?" she asked, waving her free hand between them.

"Since we nearly lost you in Scanra, but that was only when I realised it."

She sat up and looked at him.

"I never knew," she mused.

"Neal figured it out, you know. He even told my sister."

"Irenie?"

He nodded.

"Is that why she kept talking about you around me? I thought she was just really proud of you."

"Did she?" he groaned. "And Neal or Yuki never said anything to you? I was living in fear they'd let it slip and you'd never speak to me again."

"Yuki told me once that she knew I had a secret admirer but refused to tell me who," Kel said, and giggled. "She said it was so obvious that if I couldn't figure it out then I wasn't worth the trouble."

Dom laughed at this. He could just picture his cousin's feisty Yamani wife teasing her friend in such a way.

They kissed again and sat holding each other. Eventually Kel sighed and peeled herself away.

"It's getting late. I should really go."

* * *

**A/N:**

Since I'm on a roll (and currently waiting for the university bureaucracy to spit some forms out at me before I can do anything else on my study...)

Hope this chapter doesn't come across as super cheesy. It sort of got away on me and then I realised that heaps of stuff happens, heh. Also thanks again to those who left the encouraging reviews. So lovely to get up in the morning and find them in my inbox. :)


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Second Company left a couple of days after First returned from the Royal Forest, and the mess and stables now seemed eerily quiet. He had seen Kel not long after that, and they had discussed their feelings for each other. After a couple of stolen kisses, Kel had asked if they could just carry on as friends while she thought some more and they settled into their roles after the war.

Dom agreed, and had been thinking along the same lines himself, but he was unprepared for the disappointment and _loss_ he felt now that it was a reality. It was as if by discovering his feelings were returned and sharing that evening in his sitting room, he had allowed his heart to get carried away against the better judgement of his head, and his head had been right all along. He still hoped, though.

Of course, it was difficult to now pretend their friendship was the same as it was before. When they were together there were looks that lingered just that moment too long, and unsaid words hung in the air between them. It was enough that Neal's curiosity finally got the better of him.

"What's going on between you and Kel?" Neal asked bluntly one rainy autumn afternoon. Neal had remained in Corus working under his father after the wedding, and Dom was keeping him company and helping him weigh herbs and prepare field packs for healers attached to the King's Own and the Queen's Riders.

"Nothing. Nothing at all," he muttered.

"Liar."

"Fine, have it your way."

Dom continued filling little muslin pouches with measures of herbs. He stopped and looked up when he realised Neal had stopped what he was doing and was watching him with interest, head resting on his hand.

"Who got out of the wrong side of bed this morning, hm?"

"Get lost, Meathead."

He had strained a muscle in his back while training that morning and the background pain was fraying his temper.

"For Mithros' sake, Domitan. There is _obviously_ something going on! Half the time you two pretend the other doesn't exist and then when you think no one's watching you're making eyes at her."

"You know what, Neal? You should just mind your own business," Dom snapped back. He really didn't want to talk about this right now.

Neal ignored him.

"And when she thinks _you're_ not looking, she's sneaking glances at you!"

Neal was pacing now and he had forgotten his inside voice.

"Neal, keep it down!" Dom hissed crossly.

"You tell me what's going on and I'll keep it down!" Neal exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air.

The door to Duke Baird's study opened and his uncle poked his head out into the room. He frowned over his wire-rimmed reading spectacles at his son.

"Is everything all right?" he enquired mildly, glancing between Neal and Dom.

They both nodded.

"I thought so," he agreed and retreated back into his office.

Neal scowled and sat back down at the long worktable, glaring at him until the door to Baird's study had closed again. When he spoke again he remembered to keep his voice down.

"Well? Are you going to tell me what's going on? It started just over two weeks after my wedding."

Neal's fingers drummed on the table and Dom could feel himself going red as he returned his glare. He knew that determined look on Neal's face meant that this would be revisited later if he didn't get an answer he considered satisfactory.

"I still don't see how this is any of your business," he muttered, sighing.

"Humour me, and I'll leave you alone."

Dom thought for a moment, looking for a way to tell Neal what had happened without the details.

"Kel and I... had a discussion in which we came to agree that neither of us needs distractions from our work right now."

Neal harrumphed.

"So you finally declared your long-standing mutual admiration and then decided to ignore it?" he asked, looking decidedly unimpressed.

Dom shrugged.

"For now," he agreed and went back to filling the little muslin pouches. He knew Neal, with his poetic sensibility and romantic ideals, probably wouldn't understand. When he looked up again, Neal was shaking his head and smiling.

"You may call me a meathead, but you're a _bonehead_. And Kel is too."

"That's _Captain_ Bonehead to you," Dom told him as they resumed their work.

Not long after, in late October, Third Company arrived back in Corus. The courtyard was a hive of activity as the newly arrived company unpacked and gear and led horses to stables, before falling quiet again as the soldiers left in search of food and baths. He found Wolset and his old squad playing a game of cards in the mess later that afternoon.

Raoul had promoted the shorter man to the rank of sergeant when Dom took up the post of captain, though Dom hadn't been sure his old corporal was ready for the promotion. Wolset had a quick temper and a tendency to become bogged down in anxiety, but Raoul had told him to give the man a chance as he was a good warrior with smarts and the potential to lead, and everyone had to start somewhere. It seemed Raoul had been right, because Wolset appeared to have grown into his new role.

"Masbolle! Get your court pretty-boy's arse over here and tell us all the news!"

Dom grinned and made a rude gesture at the sergeant before helping himself to a mug of the new season's cider from the serving window.

"What's the news from the border?" he asked, sliding onto the bench seat at their table.

Wolset shrugged and one of his corporals answered.

"Clean up duty, mostly. The Scanran armies have all gone home, but with the roads and infrastructure in such a state after two years of fighting and sieges there are still areas vulnerable to bandits and raiding parties from the southern clans."

"That'll keep a lot of people busy for the next couple of years," Dom observed.

"Passed through New Hope on the way back, too. The Crown installed a Resident Magistrate and a Town Commissioner when Sir Merric left, but I don't know how that'll work out," another man told him.

"They're feuding with Mistress Fanche," Wolset explained. "Should've told 'em to pick a fight they could win!"

"Is Lady Kel still in Corus?" another man demanded.

Dom shook his head.

"Not at the moment, she's got two squads of my boys and some Riders hunting spidrens south of Port Caynn. She's expected back next week."

"Will my lord be at supper tonight? Is it true about him and Lady Buri having a little giantkiller?"

Dom stayed and gossiped with the men for another two bells. Lerant joined them briefly, scowling and in an irritable mood after having had his first meeting with Squire Alan. The other men ignored him, and he soon left to find a more sympathetic audience.

The rest of October and most of November passed in a predictable manner after the arrival of Third Company, who spent their time recruiting and regrouping, and then gradually easing into court duties. This freed up Dom's men for some longer excursions into the Royal Forest or down the coast, though he rarely accompanied them, sending Sir Merric or other knights instead.

He continued to see Kel every now and then, sometimes working on official business for the Own, and sometimes in the practice courts. He found her one such morning with Raoul and Squire Alan at the tilting lanes. It seemed like the two knights were taking turns to unseat the poor squire, and then when the lad had had enough, switched to tilting against each other.

Neal had also appeared to watch, along with Lady Alanna.

"Right about now you're wishing dear old Ma was your knight mistress instead," Neal drawled as Alan limped over.

The redheaded boy scowled as Alanna reached up and slung her arm around her son's shoulders.

"She's the same sort of sadist, just different methods," he retorted. Alanna agreed and cackled evilly as she dragged him off.

"Alanna's leaving with the delegation to the Cop—Kyprish Isles for the coronation," Neal explained. "She just came to say goodbye."

They watched Raoul and Kel take one more run at each other as an audience of pages waiting to use the lanes gathered with their training master Sir Padraig haMinch.

Dom noticed a couple of girls with rapt expressions on their faces in amongst the pages watching Kel, and a few scowling boys. A couple more looked positively frightened, as if they thought _they_ might have to tilt against the Giantkiller. He had to agree that it didn't look like his idea of fun either.

At the end of their run Dom hopped over the fence and walked over to Kel, taking her lance and shield from her while being careful to stay out of range of Peachblossom's teeth. He noticed Lerant rush over and do the same for Raoul, and wondered if the standard bearer was still feuding with Squire Alan. Dom privately thought that Alan of Pirate's Swoop was the type who was quite happy to let someone else do things for him if he thought he could get away with it, and Lerant's determination to do everything for Raoul himself probably suited Squire Alan just fine. He decided not to share this observation with Lerant, though.

Kel slithered down from her saddle and gathered up Peachblossom's reins. She thanked him and tugged on the reins, leading Peachblossom out of the yard behind Raoul and Drum. Both knights nodded to the training master as they passed and Dom and Lerant followed them, while Neal had disappeared off somewhere else.

"Hurry up we haven't got all day! You can gawk at Goldenlake and Mindelan at Midwinter!" he heard the training master bellow as they left.

"What's it like?" he asked as she brushed Peachblossom. She had taken to keeping her horses in the Own's stables again since she was still working under Raoul's command.

"What's what like?"

"You know, people staring all the time because you're Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan."

She shrugged.

"I'm used to it," she frowned and continued brushing.

"Don't you wish..." he trailed off.

"What?"

"I don't know," he said ruefully. "I'm just another pair of silver arms and legs in a blue tunic. I don't know what it feels like to stand out wherever I go."

Kel smiled at him slightly and finished brushing. She climbed out of Peachblossom's stall.

"I've always been different, I guess. I don't think about it. In the Islands we were strange and uncouth foreigners, and then when I went to the Palace I was always The Girl or the Yamani Lump."

She bent and brushed horse hair off her clothes with her hands. Lerant, who had been eavesdropping, had also finished caring for Raoul's horse Drum.

"Try having a treasonous aunt and you'll know all about what it's like to stick out like dog's balls," Lerant told him, laughing sourly as he passed them on his way to the stable door.

"Who asked you, Lerant?" Dom called after him.

"Leave him be, Dom. He's marked out through no fault of his own. I chose my lot."

Kel left to visit the baths and Dom returned to his office, making a start on a pile of requisitions for when First Company left Corus in the spring. He calculated quantities of oats and cured meat while thinking about what Kel had said.

Before now, when he'd imagined what might happen if they were to court, he never really considered how his life would change apart from the obvious. Now it occurred to him that it would probably be a much larger adjustment for him than it would be for her. She was used to the attention, whether good or bad. He wasn't.

Wolset and his squad had serenaded a less-than-amused Kel in the mess not long after her return from the spidren hunt, and had trotted the ballad out again one night at the Jugged Hare when they'd all had a bit too much to drink. Dom had hung back in the shadows and was surprised when other tavern patrons and strangers alike joined in with more songs and stories about the Protector of the Small, and begged for more when they realised that here were warriors who had fought alongside her.

He was reminded again about what set her apart that morning at the tilting lanes as he watched the expressions on the faces of the staring pages. The two girls he noticed obviously idolised her, and both looked as if they could have fainted with happiness. From the scowls of some of the other pages, perhaps from conservative families, he could see plain resentment as they watched a woman make tilting look easy while their own backs probably still ached from previous encounters with the practice dummy's sandbag. The rest of the boys gawped openly, and a couple of his nephews were probably among that number, though it had been years since he'd last seen his oldest brother's children.

If they were to begin courting openly, then he would no longer be just another pair of silver arms and legs in a blue tunic, he realised. His name would find its way into the ballads, or some sort of dreadful, torrid poem about star-crossed lovers kept apart by duty. To the girls who looked up to Kel he would become a person no less fascinating to them than Kel herself, while to her detractors he would be an object of pity and derision. They'd probably find some way to phrase it that simultaneously implied he usually preferred men while insinuating that Kel was loose or desperate enough not to mind.

Dom also realised he didn't care.

He pushed his requisitions to one side and opened the draw in his desk where he had stuffed the little velvet pouch with the peridot earbobs. He tipped them into his hand and looked at them in the light before tipping them back into the pouch and searching for a clean sheet of paper.

_Kel,_

_I thought about what you said today. I want to be __your__ pair of silver arms and legs in a blue tunic, if you'll have me._

_These are for you. A promise, if you wish._

_Dom_

When the ink dried he folded the note into an envelope around the earbobs and sealed it with wax. He went to find a messenger to take it to her.

* * *

**A/N:**

Once again, thanks to those who have taken the time to review. :)


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

The first light snows fell in early December, though they melted quickly. A few days later a larger storm came from the north, depositing a much thicker blanket of snow that lingered in shaded areas around the Palace grounds.

It had been over a week since Dom sent Kel the peridot earbobs, but he hadn't seen or heard from her. He decided to give her space, and concentrated on planning an expedition to the hill country and Tusaine border once the worst of the winter ice thawed. When he felt like he was about to be overwhelmed by paperwork, he went to the training yards and joined the combat drills. Occasionally he managed to pry Neal away from his healers' work to practice their swordplay, telling him that Lady Alanna would be most unimpressed if she came back to find her former squire had gone soft. Neal was actually a good swordsman though, and Dom thoroughly enjoyed their bouts.

Dom also found himself enjoying the company of Geoffrey of Naxen. He'd quickly realised that the young sergeant was extremely competent. His reports were always thorough and on time, his squad respected him—even the prickly Stone Mountain lad—and Dom appreciated knowing that anything he asked him to do would be done in good time and to a high standard. He also liked that Geoffrey was generally relaxed and easy-going, a good foil to some of the more highly-strung of his officers.

Like Dom, Geoffrey also greatly enjoyed his work as a member of the Own. They were both younger sons, which gave them a greater degree of freedom compared to their eldest brothers who would inherit fiefs and titles, and they were both from old and wealthy families that didn't need them to marry.

Eldest boys of noble families were usually expected to become knights and marry young to provide heirs to the family line, and such marriages were often arranged for some sort of advantage; for money, to form alliances, to end blood feuds, or a mixture of reasons rarely to do with the feelings of the individuals to marry. Some younger sons were also expected to enter into similar arranged marriages, though Dom's own family was wealthy enough and in good enough standing that such strictly political or pecuniary matches were not necessary. He was certainly happy that wasn't his lot, and as a member of the Own, if he made it to retirement he would receive a comfortable pension from the Crown for the rest of his days and wouldn't have to worry about living on the charity of his brother and his family or provide for descendants.

Though over the last couple of months, this plan had begun to appear less and less straightforward.

It was two weeks before midwinter when Kel joined them for supper in the Own's mess. Dom had been late after a trip down to the city to complete a deal with some canvas merchants had taken longer than he anticipated, and was making his way to sit with Raoul and Captain Flyndan when he realised Kel and Buri were also present. Buri spied him first and stood to call him over, waving. She was now showing quite heavily, and the pregnancy made her normally short and stocky figure appear comically squat, though he suppressed the urge to laugh as he realised she was probably still armed.

When Kel turned to grin at him as Buri sat, he noticed a small twinkle of green at her earlobes and his heart skipped a beat.

"Are you sure there's only one in there?" he asked Buri innocently as he settled his tray across from Kel.

"If I weren't under strict healer's orders, I'd teach you some manners," the K'mir woman grumbled.

Dom grinned at this response and picked up a roll. He glanced across at Kel.

"Pretty earbobs," he said in the same innocent tone. "Are you wearing them for anyone in particular?"

Buri cackled as Kel glared at him and kicked his shins under the table.

"You're living dangerously tonight, Masbolle," Buri observed drily.

"It's the only way I know how," he agreed, wondering how much Buri knew or had figured out.

When they finished supper Raoul distributed invitations to several private parties that he and Buri would host in their chambers over the Midwinter holiday period. It was something that he had begun during Kel's squire years and now intended to resume.

Raoul also gave them and the other men who had been to Scanra with Kel a heads-up about the first big banquet of the season, with invitations to a ball afterwards where some official recognition would be given to them for their part in destroying the killing devices. Dom suspected that no public attention would have been paid to them at all if the story of their deeds and Irnai's prophesy about the Protector of the Small hadn't become so well known. After all, Kel and her knight friends had disobeyed direct orders to do what they did, and Dom and his squad had been sent on their mission strictly off the record.

After chatting with some of the men, Dom found himself heading back to his rooms with Kel in tow. He felt unusually nervous, though Kel seemed quite happy to see him at supper and the fact she was wearing his gift was undoubtedly significant. Kel closed and locked the door after them, and after two steps she was in his arms, their lips meeting.

"How's your thinking going?" he asked when they stopped for air.

"I think we should try," she replied and kissed him again, slowly and deliberately.

When they broke apart he took her hand and led her into his sitting room, where he stoked the fire and poured two glasses of spiced apple juice. They sat and talked about to do next, agreeing that they would try to be discrete and conduct their relationship off duty, but they knew that rumours would inevitably fly around before long. Kel told him what Raoul had told her, about women in the Riders who got involved romantically with Rider men and how that made things difficult for them, especially if the woman was in command.

"I don't want to sacrifice my private life because of what soldiers might say," she told him, toying with his hand.

He had nodded, and agreed that he accepted that he wouldn't enjoy the same degree of anonymity as he was used to once people knew they were involved with one another.

They spent the next two bells on his sofa, sometimes talking and sometimes kissing, shy hands beginning to wander and explore.

Eventually Dom sat up and tweaked her nose.

"You'd better get going," he told her. "Tobe and Jump will be getting anxious."

She laughed and stood.

"Can't have them out searching for me in this weather."

The next two weeks flew by, with a few of the men noticing his good humour and commenting on it being at odds with the miserable sleety weather. They cracked lewd jokes and asked who the lucky lady was and if she had any pretty friends he could introduce them to, but Dom laughed and deflected their ribbing. They didn't seem too suspicious, and he suspected that they mostly just liked to tease their captain.

They attended the ball on the second night of Midwinter, where King Jonathan praised their bravery in rescuing the refugees and defeating Blayce and awarded them all with purses of gold. Dom had opened his when he returned to his rooms and stared at the coins inside. It was a small fortune. He stashed it away and went to bed, dreaming of Raven Armoury swords.

The longest night of the year rolled around and he had just finished dressing when one of the Own's servants knocked on his door and brought his gifts. Most were small tokens or sweets from the men, but a few items from people close to him were particularly thoughtful. From Raoul and Buri there was a sheaf of maps, from his mother a pair of warm mittens, from Irenie a small pouch of protective charms, and from Neal a healing salve he'd made himself. He received a large light, flat package from Kel, which he opened and discovered a subtle but beautiful Yamani painting of a mountain fortress on fine silk stretched over a lacquered frame. _Since you complained about your rooms being bare_, the accompanying note read. He found a hook on the wall in his sitting room and hung it right away.

Raoul and Buri had intended to host a gathering in their chambers a couple of nights later, but Buri had suddenly become quite ill and Duke Baird had ordered bed rest and quiet until the baby was born. Raoul had been about to cancel the gathering altogether when Kel persuaded him to let the guests know that it would be in her rooms instead. He'd agreed when Buri insisted that she didn't want her condition to ruin the fun for everyone else, and messages were sent out about the change of venue.

Dom had arrived early and chatted with Raoul and Kel while they shifted her furniture around and servants brought trays of food and pitchers of drinks. She'd managed to get Tobe into a new tunic and set him to work making sure guests were welcomed in and supplied with drinks as they arrived. Quite a few people visited, though mostly they popped in for periods and left again, so the room didn't become overly crowded. Raoul stayed for a couple of hours but left early, obviously feeling bad about leaving Buri in their rooms. Various other people popped in, from friends of Raoul's who asked for their best wishes to be passed on to Buri, to members of the Own, Kel's knight friends, and Prince Roald and Princess Shinkokami. To Dom's surprise, Irenie turned up with Neal and Yuki and brought his other younger sister Alise.

Alise was three years younger than Dom and was a healer just as strong as Neal. She had their mother's auburn hair and green eyes, but was plainer than Irenie and more reserved. She possessed a lively and acerbic wit to match Neal, though she knew better when to hold her tongue. His sisters didn't stay long—there was another party on that night that Irenie wanted to go to—but long enough that he managed to introduce Alise to Kel and some of the younger knights.

Eventually all the guests had left and just Dom, Kel, and Tobe remained.

Tobe had kept on top of the glasses and plates of food, which were all stacked neatly on trays for the servants to remove in the morning. The boy yawned continuously and Kel ordered him to bed. When he disappeared into the side room to sleep, Dom joined Kel on her sofa and they held one another and chatted quietly between kisses. Before long he realised they were lying down, bodies pressed up against one another and legs entwined. Their tunics had somehow made their way to the floor.

He levered himself up on one arm.

"I should go," he whispered, pushing a strand of hair out of her face. She'd cut it not long after Neal's wedding, though it had now reached her chin again.

She smiled lopsidedly.

"What if I don't want you to?"

Dom looked at her for a long moment. She returned his gaze steadily and seriously with that smile still on her lips. He looked around the room they were in. If she was suggesting what he thought she was, the sofa wasn't the right place.

"Then perhaps we should move somewhere more comfortable," he suggested.

Dom woke with a start the next morning, before realising where he was when Kel's arm snaked around his chest and she pulled herself closer to him. They were in her bed, and grey dawn light was illuminating the glass panes of her upper window.

"It's nearly dawn," she whispered.

They held each other quietly and after a while they heard Tobe get up to lay the fire in the sitting room and leave to fetch water.

"Did you pick up our tunics last night?" she asked suddenly.

"Yes, but I'm afraid I forgot my boots."

"Ah, that's another talk I need to have with Tobe," she sighed.

Dom laughed and rolled out of bed, hopping on the cold flagstones as he revived the fire and dressed.

The rumours began flying about three weeks into the New Year, though neither of them would confirm nor deny if asked by gossiping types. Of their close friends, some needled them for confirmation when they heard the whispers, while the rest seemed amused but not at all surprised.

"Finally," Neal had drawled at one of their swordplay bouts. "But you're still Boneheads."

"Ouch. Why?"

"Because it took you so _long_," Neal retorted smugly and attacked to his right.

He got some mostly good-natured ribbing from the men, and perhaps more from those who had earlier noticed his good humour. He suspected that it probably helped having so many from Third Company who knew Kel from her squire days; anyone being snide would have had the error of their words swiftly corrected with fists or suffered unpleasant pranks. He did overhear some of the more salacious whispers in other parts of the Palace, but no one said anything to his face.

The rest of January and February passed in a blur of mud and ice. He managed to arrange a few excursions for his squads to get practice moving in the snow and slush, and though they were short everyone was glad to get back to hot baths and hot mulled cider in the mess. Raoul often dropped in to keep him company as he worked on various tasks that needed to be completed before the weather thawed.

"There's an angry stormwing that looks like Buri residing in my rooms," he'd told him glumly.

"I take it my lady isn't enjoying being cooped up?" Dom laughed. He knew it was an understatement as Kel had told him as much after visiting not long after the party.

Raoul snorted loudly.

"I believe Baird sent that cousin of yours to check on her as I was leaving. I hope you won't miss him too much."

Dom laughed.

"It's appropriate. I myself have always thought that Neal possessed the comforting bedside manner of a stormwing."

"Lovely. They can bite each other's heads off."

"Not too much longer now," Dom said, trying to sound reassuring.

Though he wouldn't be around when the baby came, because by early March First Company was ready to leave, going south and then east through the desert to the hill country and Tusaine border.

* * *

**A/N:**

Another chapter! There will probably be a lull in activity from me now. I have just two months left of university, and in that time I have to prepare and present two seminars, two research essays, and one big research report. In fact, right now I should be transcribing interviews! Ahh... scary.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

First Company arrived near the border shared by Tortall and Tusaine two weeks after leaving Corus, taking a route south of the hill country but just skirting the Southern Desert. They made a rendezvous with two Rider Groups in the area to exchange reports and intelligence at Fief Tirragen, where they were also able to have hot baths and sleep in proper beds. From there they spent the next two months hunting down unfriendly immortals; destroying twelve spidrens, a herd of killer unicorns, and a lone tauros, and surveying the populations of other immortals such as griffins, stormwings, winged horses, and centaurs.

As the weather grew warmer and the roads dried up, First Company kept busy tracking bandits and escorting those arrested to the nearest town magistrate for sentencing. They then moved east and further into the Drell River Valley, where they rejoined some Rider Groups to conspicuously patrol the border.

"I thought we sorted the Tusainis out thirty years ago," Rory grumbled as he joined Dom and Geoffrey at their camp fire one evening.

Dom heard Geoffrey laugh.

"We did, but it helped that we had hostages. The Tusainis would still love to have this valley but they know King Jonathan isn't as hesitant to use force as his father was," the sergeant told the younger man.

Dom moved closer to join their conversation.

"Geoff's right, you know," he nodded. "There are plenty of old lords over the border still nursing wounded pride over that defeat. They know we've just had a costly war with Scanra and they've got a fat army that's getting jumpy."

"We're here to look intimidating and remind make any hawks over the border think twice," a new voice said.

Dom turned to face Evin Larse, who had just come up behind them. The tall rider ducked and sat down at the fire, handing a parcel of documents to Dom.

"News from Corus," Evin said, grinning. "Twins—a girl and a boy. They nearly lost Buri and the little boy, but they pulled through and all are now doing well, thank the Goddess."

"Glad to hear it! And I _knew_ there was more than one in there," Dom grinned back, breaking open the seal on the parcel.

"So Larse, are you and your lot glorified message runners now?" Geoffrey enquired.

"Cheeky insubordinate," muttered Evin, still grinning cheerfully. "No, we're here to collect intelligence and surveil the border. We've been spoiled, you know. With Daine still in the Kyprish Isles we have to do this work the old-fashioned way."

Dom nodded.

"So the spymasters are expecting movement from Tusaine?"

"Yes and no. It's in those reports," Evin replied. To Rory, who looked confused, he explained, "Their army has swelled in recent years and there's not enough work to keep it fully occupied within their borders."

"And that's bad news for the ruling classes," Dom agreed. "Bored, discontented armies rebel against their leaders. It's much better to find them a war on someone else's turf than to allow them to foment rebellion on their own."

"Then how come they let it get so big?" Rory asked.

"Father says it's because they practice polygamy," Geoffrey explained. "All the lords and powerful old men marry all the pretty young noble girls, and their younger brothers marry all the rich merchant girls with fat dowries. That leaves a whole lot of angry young men with no prospect of ever marrying and not much to lose, so what do you do with them? Channel them into the army and keep them busy."

"That's pretty much the long and the short of it," Evin agreed. "Though it's not certain they will attack Tortall. They could decide to attack Tyra or Maren instead."

"It won't be Tyra. Who wants to conquer a stinking merchant-infested swamp?" Rory opined with scorn.

"But it's a stinking_ wealthy_ merchant-infested swamp," Dom countered. "If they annexed Tyra they could control trade on the Inland Sea and do away with the tariffs they currently pay on just about anything worth having."

"Hmph."

"Don't worry, you won't seem like such a back country lad if you stick with us for a few years," Geoffrey said cheerfully.

Rory scowled at his sergeant and returned to his tent.

"Moody little brat," Evin commented when he was out of earshot.

"He's just sheltered and too proud to admit it. He'll get over himself eventually," Geoffrey shrugged.

Dom quickly skimmed through the documents in the pouch Evin had given him. He set aside personal things, like letters addressed to individual soldiers, including some for him. He would distribute those at supper and read his own later.

From Raoul they received orders to build a new fort on an open stretch of the Drell River valley and hand over to a company of regulars when they arrived. Raoul had sent Squire Alan to the Kyprish Isles to hasten the return of the delegation, which included Lady Alanna and the mages Daine and Numair, who would head east with a contingent of knights upon arrival back in Tortall. The arrival of Daine would allow a greater flow of information to their spymasters, as she could use the eyes and ears of animals to spy.

Once the army had stationed itself up and down the valley, First Company would head south toward Pearlmouth, flushing out any bandits they discovered in the hill country on the way. From Pearlmouth they would go west and then north along the coast to Port Legann, continuing to survey coastal villages and populations of immortals. From Port Legann, depending on what happened with Tusaine, they would return to Corus by June for a spell of rest.

Later that evening in his own tent Dom was able to read his letters. There was a scrawled note from Raoul about the birth of his children, a first-born daughter called Rachany and a son called Samrin, the names of Buri's long deceased mother and brother. The next letter he read was from Neal and consisted of fully four sides of paper covered in eloquent rants about hypochondriac courtiers presenting to the Palace infirmary with purely imagined or merely trifling complaints. The news that Yuki was pregnant and they were expecting their first child in October had been added as a hurried postscript. Irenie's letter to him was long and conversational, detailing events she attended with the Queen's Ladies, their training, and droll observations on court manners and personalities, as well as updates on the family.

Kel's letter was also long and chatty, giving an account of Raoul's reaction when he found out Buri had given him twins, the pranks Third Company had played on the Riders since his departure, and that by the time he received this letter she would be taking Irnai to the City of the Gods. It seemed the child had come to the attention of a priestess of the Mother Goddess who was an associate of Lalasa's, and the woman had pulled some strings within the temple community to secure Irnai a placement as a novice priestess mage. She signed off with her hope that they may be in Corus at the same time in June.

Dom certainly entertained the same hope, though he tried not to think about it too much to lessen the disappointment if it didn't come to pass.

They spent the month of April building a fort in the Drell River Valley, and Dom was glad to hand over command to a company of regulars when they arrived from the North. From there they moved south, cleaning up some bandits hiding in a marshy area near the river on their way. When they arrived at Pearlmouth Dom allowed the men a few days to roam the city while he delivered reports to the Governor and sent further reports back to Corus. He was shut up in his room at the Governor's residence writing a letter when someone rapped on the door, which opened to admit a tall man he hadn't seen in a long time.

"Do I know you?" Dom asked, allowing a cheeky grin.

"You hurt my heart, little brother," Garret of Masbolle sighed with a dramatic flourish.

Dom's grin widened and he got up to embrace his second oldest brother, who returned the embrace and congratulated him profusely on his promotion.

"What are you doing here? Irenie told me you were in Tyra," Dom asked.

He studied Garret as the older man laughed. He was dressed fashionably in loose breeches and a full-sleeved shirt under a fitted tunic, and his hair looked as if he'd been raking it out of his eyes with his fingers. He noticed deeper lines around his brother's eye and a few strands of grey at his temples, but Garret looked just as vain about his appearance as he remembered.

"I was," he shrugged. "But then the work dried up and I thought it was time to visit home again. And then I heard you were in Pearlmouth."

Dom raised an eyebrow. He wasn't quite sure why his brother was visiting, but there was usually an ulterior motive with Garret. Garret was five years older and while their relationship was cordial they had never been particularly close, having not spent very many of their childhood years together and finding not much in common as adults.

"Mama, Alise, and Irenie are in Corus," Dom offered.

Garret pulled a face.

"I know. I might stay at court for a while. Do you know if there are any eligible rich heiresses there? Preferably pretty ones?" he joked.

"I think Irenie could point you in the right direction better than I could," Dom retorted drily.

"What? I thought you'd have women hanging off your arms given your new position," Garret remarked, eyebrows raised.

"I try to discourage that sort of thing. It would slow me down in the field, you see," Dom grinned. When Garret made no further comment he continued bluntly, "So is this just a social visit, or do you want something?"

Eventually Dom managed to uncover the real reason for his brother's visit when Garret finally owned that he had nothing to show for his time in Tyra except for his foppish, expensive clothes and tales of the people he'd rubbed shoulders with at high-society parties. He was hoping Dom would take pity and lend him enough coin to buy passage to Port Caynn and Corus.

Dom was certain there was more to the story but he decided he'd rather not know. He scowled and briefly considered refusing, but he thought better of it and gave his brother enough for the fares from his own purse. He was resigned to the fact he'd be unlikely to see that money again; Garret was infamous in their family for his apparent inability to hold onto money for long. Each time an incidence of him foolishly squandering his allowance came to light their father would look to the sky and most fervently thank Mithros that Garret wasn't the oldest.

As it transpired, Garret made him promise not to tell their father about this loan. He agreed only because he didn't think their father, who had come to suffer ill health in the last few years, needed to be burdened with news that would surely cause him to become agitated for no benefit. Instead he scrawled a note to Lady Lavinia and sent it to Corus by express. He rather hoped it would arrive at the same time as Garret so he could receive one of their mother's imperious lectures. And if Garret _didn't_ arrive in Corus, well, Dom hoped to be as far away as possible when his mother next caught up with her second son.

A couple of days later First Company was on the move again. The Governor was aware of Copper Isle slavers hiding out in a rocky cove a few days ride southwest of the city. With the help of a Rider group and a couple of mages from Pearlmouth they managed to ambush the slavers and destroy their boats that had been dragged up onto the sandy beach. They made the journey back to Pearlmouth to deliver the slavers to the magistrate for sentencing and the rescued slaves to be freed by mages who could remove the slavers' spelled shackles.

Tracking west again, they passed the slavers' cove and carried on along the road to Port Legann. In several areas they found stretches of road that needed repair and they set up camp to build retaining walls and reroute streams that had changed course from their normal fords. Where locals had cleared earth from winter slips only enough to allow small traders' wagons to pass, Dom set the men to work finishing the job. It made for slow progress, but the people in the villages they passed through were hospitable and glad for the hundred extra pairs of helping hands, or their swords and bows.

The villagers on this side of the Southern Wall mountain range were mostly fisher-folk who subsisted on their catch and whatever they could grow in the shallow, rocky soils surrounding them. Dom and two of his sergeants were brokering an agreement over fishing rights between one such village and a colony of merfolk south of Port Legann when a Crown courier found them. Tusaine had attacked Tyra, and also nibbled at the edges of Maren while the Marenites were occupied with a rebellion led by nobles angry at being stripped of their lands and titles.

Dom groaned inwardly. It was now early June and the courier's message required them to head to Port Legann as soon as possible and report to Lord Imrah, who would brief them on their next orders. It seemed unlikely they would be returning to Corus now, and he resigned himself to the fact that it may be a few more months before he saw Kel again.

* * *

**A/N:**

Hi! Thanks to those who read and reviewed the last chapter. I've managed to finish this one off that I had half-written, but I'm afraid it might be a little half-baked. I just can't seem to hold much in my head at the moment, ha. Love stress... See you again in November...


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

They stayed in Port Legann for a fortnight, long enough to replenish their provisions and rest. News from the border trickled in through messages dispatched from Corus and Port Legann's own mages. The sense of urgency conveyed by the Crown courier on the road faded as it became apparent that Tusaine intended to concentrate its attacks on Tyra only. There were sufficient forces already at the border to repel any forays by rogue raiding parties onto Tortallan soil. Nevertheless, they would head to the border to help where they could, and return to Corus by Midwinter.

After so long on the road, many of the men were glad for the entertainments of the city. Dom joined them occasionally in the evenings at city taverns, other evenings he and his sergeants dined with Lord Imrah and his lady after their meetings. Other nights were spent in the mess hall of the barracks they were lodged in. He arrived at the mess one evening to find a handful of his soldiers milling around a table with what looked like a mail bag. Something about the way they spoke in hushed tones as they rifled through the contents of the bag told him they were up to something. All of a sudden they hushed and looked up.

"What are you stooges up to?" he asked suspiciously.

"Sorting the mail, Captain," Corporal Tristren replied without dropping a beat.

"I see."

Someone snickered and received an elbow from the man next to him.

"We sorted yours first, sir."

Dom raised an eyebrow as Tristren pushed a bundle of letters into his hand.

"Why thank you," he told them with one final, serious look to communicate that he knew they were up to no good. Figuring he would find out soon enough, he left them to it and returned to his room, checking his letters for any signs of tampering but finding none. Whatever they were up to, it would be something to ponder another time.

The bag contained only personal mail for the soldiers that had been forwarded from Corus, and amongst Dom's letters were one each from Irenie and his mother, three from Neal, and to his disappointment, none from Kel. He decided to read Neal's first as they were always a treat. It seemed Neal had sorted out his hypochondriac courtiers; Dom imagined that after a few encounters with Neal's sharp tongue the worst offenders made their visits when more obliging healers were on duty. Though with the palace emptying out for the nobles' summer travels, Neal clearly had more time in which to anxiously ponder the trials that impending fatherhood would bring. Dom shook his head and grinned to himself as he refolded Neal's letters and stashed them with the others in a special safe pocket in his saddle bag. The other letters he would read and write replies to at another time.

Eventually First Company returned to the road. They stopped in Persopolis where they were met by a delegation from Corus that included diplomats, the young Prince Jasson, and much to Dom's surprise, his mother and two older brothers. He left the men to settle in and went to visit Lady Lavinia at her lodgings.

Erick and Garret were out when he arrived, and Dom found himself being scolded for not reading his mail.

"Why do I bother sending you letters if you won't read them?" his mother sighed as she fished in a saddlebag. She produced a small pouch that jingled with coins and passed it to him.

He raised his eyebrows at her and stuffed the pouch into his belt as he settled into a chair.

"I don't want _you_ to be out of pocket for your brother's folly," she said drily. "You've probably gathered that Garret is in disgrace."

"I figured there must be a good reason for Erick to be away from Masbolle," Dom agreed. "Do I want to know?"

"Well! Not long after we had the pleasure of receiving him in Corus we had a visitor from Tyra," Lady Lavinia informed him, eyes glittering with suppressed ire, "and this visitor bore a message from a master advocate representing the head of an influential guild family with regards to some debts incurred by your brother."

Dom groaned.

"They are significant and we have to discharge them. It's the only honourable thing to do." Lady Lavinia leaned back in her chair and frowned.

"Father knows?"

"He wishes he didn't," his mother replied drily. "He nearly had an apoplexy. Alise is at Masbolle now making sure he doesn't drink himself to a stupor."

"What else? You and Erick wouldn't be here if it were just about money," Dom pointed out.

"Garret was... involved with this Master Raincourt's eldest daughter. She was meant to marry the son of his rival and shore up the family business, but that's all off now."

His mother paused to sip from a glass of water.

"Raincourt insists she's damaged goods and that Garry should make good and marry her. He had a lovely turn of phrase; 'You break it, you buy it,' or something like that," Lady Lavinia said, the corners of her mouth turning down in distaste at the merchant's crass phrasing. His mother was a devout follower of the Goddess and disliked men who spoke of women in terms of stock.

"Will he?"

Lady Lavinia sighed and rubbed her temples.

"He doesn't get much choice in the matter. The king is sending Prince Jasson to Tyra with a retinue of diplomats. He wants a political marriage made for Jasson with the daughter of Senator Lourens Updike, who is Master Raincourt's brother-in-law. The latter is promising to make trouble for the alliance if _he_ doesn't get his money and marriage of his daughter to Garret."

They sat for a moment in contemplative quiet.

"Any good news?" Dom asked.

His mother resettled her light cotton skirts.

"If the summer weather continues as augured, Masbolle will have one of its best vintages in at least twenty years. Gods above know we need it after this affair."

This _was_ good news. Dom's home fief grew grapes and produced some of the finest wines in Tortall. A good vintage that cellared well could secure a steady income to tide the fief over several years of poor harvests. He made a mental note to secure a barrel for the men if they managed to make it back to Corus for the winter.

They left Persopolis two days later. The delegation to Tyra headed south, while Dom took First Company east, skirting the hill country and arriving at the southern end of the Drell River valley where the land flattened out and the river widened above the northern edge of the Tyran border. They set up camp near the town of Frogmarsh and set watches on the borderlands. It was to be a long and boring assignment, made worse by the hot and muggy weather in the heat-trapping swampy valley basin and the swarms of biting insects that thrive in such conditions. Dom had enough time on his hands to begin feeling anxious about the lack of word from Kel, and in such idle moments he was irrationally certain that something terrible had befallen her, thus explaining the lack of letters. His rational mind knew that Neal or Lord Raoul would have written him if that were the case, and he felt ridiculous for even entertaining such silly anxieties. He would just have to calm down and be patient.

A month after their arrival at the border, a letter from Kel finally arrived. He hardly knew what to do first when he read the first few sentences.

_Dom,_

_I hope this finds you in good health, as I have been worried about it since 'your' last letter. Here I was thinking Neal was the only poet in your family! I'm sorry to say that your poetry, or should I say your men's poetry, far surpasses Neal's lovesick odes in sheer awfulness. I won't pain you with details, other than that the scribe had a very neat, even hand, and made an admirable attempt at copying your handwriting and signature. Made a big deal about sparkly earbobs. I don't know if this is helpful. I do think it was meant in the spirit of fun, mind; I don't think it's at all spiteful, and I did laugh as soon as I realised what it was._

_I was sorry to hear you would not be returning here this summer, but orders are orders. Did you hear Flyndan is retiring? Raoul is stalling on appointing a new Captain. He's up to something for certain, and Third Company is atwitter with gossip like my sparrows at evening roost! Speaking of Raoul, I think he's not so averse to sticking close to Corus now that he has Buri and the children. Remember the days when the king had to order him back?_

_Speaking of children, you will probably hear from Neal soon. He is at Queenscove with Yuki, and I believe even by the time you receive this letter you may have a new Cousin Meathead. They have asked me to be godsmother and the naming ceremony will likely be at Fief Queenscove on the autumn equinox. He doesn't say it in so many words, but I think it would mean a lot to Neal if you could be there (and I hope it goes without saying that I would like to see you too). Raoul seems to think this may be possible – await your next orders!_

_Yours sincerely,_

_Kel_

He folded the letter and tucked it in his pocket. They might be getting out of this cursed humid valley soon! But more pressing, he needed to figure out who was behind the letter prank. It involved a level of planning and sneakiness that was beyond most of his men, as they preferred to play practical jokes on one another that provided instant laughs and usually involved some sort of mild inconvenience, fright, or temporary physical discomfort for their victims. To copy his handwriting and signature would require someone who was familiar with it, which led him to suspect one of his sergeants. It was the kind of joke that would particularly appeal to Geoffrey, he surmised, and remembering the way some of the other men had behaved oddly with the mail bag at Port Legann, Dom guessed that the joke was far too good not to share. He had to admit it _was_ inspired, and Kel must have found it genuinely amusing to even mention it; if she'd been upset he never would have heard about it from _her_.

Feeling much happier after hearing from Kel, and hopeful that their next orders might contain good news, Dom stood and went for a wander around their camp. Sergeants Verner and Yannick and their squads were on sentry duty closer to the river, but though they had seen the occasional Tusaini war party moving south, none had strayed close to the Tortallan border. Two more squads patrolled for signs of unfriendly immortals in the rocky hills to the west of their camp, while another squad attempted to hunt game for their supper in the forest to their north. The rest of the men were at ease. Some napped, some lazed in the shade playing dice, and some kept themselves occupied with small jobs and chores. Dom decided he'd been allowing them too much slack as he poked his head inside an unoccupied tent and spied crumpled laundry shoved in a corner and a bedroll in total disarray. He would never have let his squad leave their belongings in such a state when he was with Third Company. What better time than now for an impromptu inspection, he decided.

Dom remained in perverse good spirits for the entire evening, springing the inspection on the men after supper. After assigning punishment work for some poorly kept gear and letting his sergeants know that he would be keeping them on tighter leads from then on in, he went to bed and slept soundly.

* * *

**A/N:**

Hi guys! Sorry this has taken so long. After finishing all my papers, I dove straight into full-time work and also moved house, so things have been a little hectic. I've been able to get a little writing done over Christmas, but I'll be back to work soon and won't have a lot of time to write in 2013. So updates will probably come in irregular fits and spurts from now! Hopefully this isn't too unpolished – I feel like it will take me a while to get back into the fiction groove after all the dry reports and essays I've been writing!


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Two days later, new orders arrived via Crown courier. The Tusainis were committed to their war with Tyra, and hadn't so much as sniffed at the border they shared with Tortall. And they almost certainly wouldn't now, not with winter rains expected to swell the river in a few months. There were sufficient forces from the regulars and Queen's Riders to deal with any trouble should it arise, and Raoul desired First Company's return to Corus for winter. They packed up their camp and left by the end of the week, making good speed in order to be back at the palace in time for Dom to make the short ride up the coast to Queenscove before the equinox.

The closer they got to Corus, the higher Dom's spirits rose; which amused and irritated his men as they adjusted to the new, much stricter attention he paid to their discipline. He overheard some of them talking after he sent them back to re-groom their mounts one night.

"Who put stinging nettles in the Captain's loincloth?" one man complained.

"You think he's grumpy? I think he's doing this for his own amusement. The Captain is _enjoying_ himself," a second voice drawled.

"You'd think he'd be too busy mooning over seeing Lady Kel again and cut us some slack," the first complainer whined.

"If she's still speaking to him after those letters," a third man quipped.

"Do you think he knows? Who sorted the last mail bag?" demanded the second voice.

"One of the servants. They don't know about the letters, so he might have got one from her in the last lot. Who knows? He'll surely find out when we get to Corus if he hasn't already," the third voice declared.

"Glaisdan would've had our guts for garters if we'd pulled something like that on _him_," another voice muttered darkly.

"Glaisdan—Black God grant him peace—was a stuffy old fart. And he was too boring to have lovers, anyway," the third speaker retorted. "Dom will see the funny side. I think."

Dom stopped eavesdropping and quietly slipped away. It was gratifying that his men thought him a good enough sort to take a joke well. He also decided that it would probably spook them more if he simply never mentioned the letter prank. He grinned at the realisation that if he'd overheard that conversation just a few days ago, they would have got the rise out of him they wanted.

On their arrival at the palace, Dom gave the men two days to laze while he quietly prepared work lists for his sergeants to work through during his absence. After two thirds of the year spent in the field—much of it in the humid south and east—all of their gear and supplies would need to be thoroughly checked, repairs done, new supplies requisitioned, and old food stocks rotated. It was more than a fortnight's worth of work, so he would be interested to see how and if his sergeants delegated the tasks to their squads. Two sergeants in particular he suspected of lacking initiative and fore-planning. He sighed—a problem to be dealt with on his return.

On the second day after their return to the palace he met with Raoul, who filled him in on the changes since First Company had last been in Corus.

Dom congratulated his commander on the birth of his twins, and Raoul responded by relating the story of the ordeal of their arrival. In the end, Raoul told him, he had had to sit outside the chamber because he had fluttered and hovered nervously until Buri could stand it no longer. Only expecting one baby, Raoul had dropped in a dead faint when Baird stepped out to tell him it was time to meet his son and daughter.

"Buri—the sly witch—knew all along it was twins and thought I might like the surprise. But they were so tiny!" he exclaimed, miming holding a newborn in his large hands. "They're much bigger and more boisterous now, but when they were first born I was almost afraid to touch them. Rachany was born first and she's a grizzler. Poor thing is going to take after her mother, I can tell already. Pathom just likes to sleep and cuddle. He's happy so long as he's being held. He was smaller than his sister at the start, in fact Baird said he was very small, but boy has he done some catching up!"

Dom grinned at his commander and murmured thanks to Squire Alan, who had arrived with refreshments and now poured glasses of juice.

"Then I take it fatherhood agrees with you, sir? The lads from Third Company told me you've only occasionally come away from Corus with them these past few months," he said, picking up his glass and laughing. He had had a good chat with his friends from Third Company that morning over breakfast.

"Marriage and fatherhood is not something I imagined doing at this stage of life—I'll be fifty in January," Raoul said, grinning back. "But now that it's happened I'm wondering why I didn't do it sooner. That said, I hope you and Kel don't get any ideas just yet. I need you both where you are—don't give me that look; you know as well as I do how soldiers gossip worse than convent girls!"

Dom knew his cheeks were beet-red as he glared at Raoul, who grinned wickedly. He coughed up some of the juice he had inhaled in surprise.

"I gather you've heard about Flyn," Raoul said, changing the subject as Alan left the room.

Dom cleared his throat.

"Only that he's retiring, sir—Kel wrote before she left for the coast. She said you hadn't appointed a replacement yet."

Raoul nodded.

"That shoulder injury he received near the start of the war is plaguing him these days. The healers say he's had so many healings that they can't do anything more for it and it's not going to get any better than it is already." Raoul cleared his throat and continued, "I was hoping the king would allow me to appoint Kel as Lady Knight captain when he goes, but I was overruled."

"Does Kel even want to be a company captain?" Dom asked, surprised. He was a little startled at Raoul's switching from ribbing him about his courtship of Kel, to talking about his plans for her career.

"I don't know! I hope so. I wanted to get the king's approval before I put it to her, but that's no longer an issue because the answer was no—something to do with some nonsense about appeasing the conservatives on his council and women _technically_ not being admitted into the Own."

Raoul sighed and rubbed a large hand over his face before continuing. "Osbern will replace Flyn when he retires next month," he said. "I considered Qasim, but he was adamant that he's happy where he is and doesn't want the extra responsibility."

Dom took a sip from his cup. It was apple juice flavoured lightly with crushed mint leaves.

"Osbern? Won't he be ready to retire in a few years too?" Dom demanded.

"Then I can try again when Osbern retires," Raoul insisted stubbornly.

Dom grinned.

"You're softening the king up to the idea of Kel being Knight Commander of the Own when _you_ retire," he accused.

"Who me? I'll have you know I've got more than a few years left in me yet, young man!" Raoul retorted with an expression of studied innocence.

Dom snorted.

"You mean a few years yet to bring the people who matter around to your way of seeing things?" he needled.

Raoul grinned and laughed, then let the grin fade as a serious, thoughtful, expression settled over his features.

"Kel would make a fine Knight Commander," he said after a long moment. "Perhaps she's not ready just yet, but she will be. But give it, say, ten years and Jo—the king will be thinking about the day when Roald succeeds him on the throne, and he'll want to make sure it's a lot smoother than his own accession."

Raoul paused to pick up a savoury from the tray Alan had brought.

"Jon knows Kel is loyal to Roald and Shinkokami in the way Gary, Alanna, and even I, am loyal to him. He'll be thinking about the people who'll surround Roald, who will be his most trusted advisors and staunchest allies—because he will need them. And Kel is the most promising commander of her generation of knights."

Dom settled his chin on his hand. He had suspected for some time that Raoul had big plans for his protégé and former squire. No doubt the conservatives would squawk if he got his way, since they would probably prefer for one of their own to be the next Knight Commander. Though they respected Raoul as a knight, they loathed many of the changes he had made to the Own. Dom grinned.

"That will ruffle some feathers," he commented.

Raoul shrugged and grinned evilly.

"If they get in a flap over a female Knight Commander, imagine how they'll be when little Lianokami one day accedes to the throne. A queen regnant could mean we become the Queen's Own until such time as another king regnant comes along."

A day later, Dom was on the road again. It was a three day ride to Queenscove, which was situated on the coast two and a half days' ride north of Port Caynn. The road to Fief Queenscove left the main coastal route a day from Port Caynn and hugged the coast until the last few miles, where it snaked inland and up over a hill and then descended into a windswept valley with a crescent beach sheltered by two rocky headlands. Queenscove Castle stood majestically on the high ground of the northern headland, while the village was situated lower down the headland where it was more sheltered from the winter storms that swept in from the Emerald Ocean.

"Mithros save us, it's young Domitan!" a man-at-arms cried as he rode through the gate of the castle's outer wall.

A wiry man in his late fifties with thinning silvery hair and a dark moustache strode over. Dom dismounted to greet him.

"Well met, Master Tanner!" he grinned, shaking the man's hand firmly. Cedric Tanner had overseen much of Dom's training in riding and weapons over the long summers spent with the Queenscove family when he was young. He had taught all of Dom's male Queenscove cousins as well, and if they were diligent in their practice and didn't test his patience, he would allow them to ride to the beach to swim on hot afternoons.

"We've been hearing stories about you and young Nealan's little outing in the north with the Mindelan lass three years ago," Cedric informed him. "I still have a hard time thinking of you lads all grown up and doing heroic things."

"But Master Tanner, I'm nearly thirty!" Dom protested.

"Not in here you aren't," Cedric teased, tapping a weathered temple with two blunt fingers. "Time gets away on you at my age. Now, can I take your horse for you? No doubt you're looking forward to seeing your cousins."

Dom shook his head.

"Thank you, but I'll see to him myself."

"Very good, milord," the older man said, clapping Dom on the back. "Gods, it's good to see you again after so long. I miss the days when you lads were always around, but I'm afraid I'll be past it by the time young Sir Neal's kids are old enough to hold a sword. How long are you with us for? Come down to the training yard in the mornings and show us you haven't become lazy in the Own."

"I hope to be here a week at least," Dom said with a grin. "And I like to think I'm better for joining the Own!"

He waved and made his way to the guest stables, stopping every now and then to greet villagers and older servants who recognised him. Everyone seemed to be running about with jobs to do, probably in preparation for the naming ceremony and to take care of all the guests that were expected to arrive.

He had just finished grooming and feeding his horse when a young man called out to him.

"Captain Dom, you made it! Neal told me to tell you he doesn't let just any unwashed savage into the castle. D'you want me to put a frog in his bed?"

Dom laughed and shook his head at Kel's servant boy Tobe.

"I see parenthood hasn't dulled his wit," he drawled. "Tell Neal I say that it takes one to know one."

Tobe grinned and picked up a saddlebag while Dom hoisted the other over his shoulder.

"I suppose I ought to find a bath, then, if I'm to be fit for Sir Meathead's _superior_ company."

Tobe followed Dom to the baths, chattering constantly about the things he'd done since they had last met, then offered to take his bags to his rooms after he had fished out some clean clothes. It was quicker, the boy insisted, and they would be dining soon anyway.

After bathing, Dom made his way to a large drawing room in the western wing of the castle, where the family often sat in the afternoons before supper. Though he knew Queenscove castle well, it felt odd walking its corridors again after so many years. The last long, happy summer he had spent there had been before the Immortals War, before Neal's older brothers had died in battle. It still seemed strange to imagine that one day Neal would inherit instead of Graeme.

Entering the sitting room, he found a small group of Neal's family and friends. Once greetings were made, Dom looked up to catch Kel smiling with real pleasure to see him, her usual Yamani reserve completely absent. He felt his own face split into a grin as he moved to join her.

* * *

**A/N:**

Hi guys! Hope you all had a fabulous new year. Unfortunately, I'm back to work/real life on Monday, so you probably won't see much activity from me (except for lurking) for the next two or three months. Stay safe!


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Dom woke the next morning when he felt Kel stir beside him and gently push at his arm to free herself. The night before, as people retired to bed, it had occurred to him that Tobe had never told him where to find his things. He didn't have to wonder for long, as he discovered them in Kel's room—and no sign of Tobe or his nightclothes in the dressing room where he usually slept. Jump and the sparrows were also nowhere to be seen. Kel had shrugged and supposed that at least it appeared her servant boy and her animals approved of their courtship.

"What time is it?" he croaked.

"Before dawn," she murmured. He felt her relax slightly as he tightened his arm around her. She kissed his forehead and gave him another gentle push. "I should get up," she told him, kissing his nose.

Dom knew she wanted to do the exercises that she diligently performed almost every morning for as long as he'd known her.

"Stay in bed," he urged her. "Please? This is so nice, and I've missed you so much."

She frowned slightly. Dom made what he hoped were beseeching puppy-dog eyes. He stuck his lower lip out and pouted mournfully as her frown deepened.

"Oh, how can I say no to that face?" she giggled, settling down closer to him. "You are a _bad_ man, playing with my impressionable maiden's heart like that."

"Well that was easier than I'd hoped," he teased. "You didn't even try to resist. Not really."

She giggled again.

"Just this once," she warned between kisses. "I don't want to get lazy."

If anyone noticed that they arrived together to breakfast, their cheeks glowing, they mercifully kept it to themselves.

Kel left him after their morning meal to spend the morning with Yuki and the baby, and Dom returned to their rooms to change before heading to the stables to meet Neal. There they were joined by Cedric Tanner, a couple of his men-at-arms, and some trackers from the village for an outing to hunt game for supper and in preparation for the extra guests they would have to feed over the coming days.

Dom glanced sidelong at Neal as they rode ahead of their small party towards the woods to the north-east of the castle.

"The ladies hinted last night that you had something to ask me," Dom prompted. Neal was not the most talkative in the morning.

Neal fidgeted in his saddle and made a face.

"I'm glad you came," he said. "How long is it since the last time most of us were all gathered here? It was before the Immortals War when both of us looked forward to lives of freedom as younger sons..." he trailed off.

Dom regarded his cousin. Neal had grown up a lot since the deaths of his brothers. He had quit his university studies to become a knight out of a sense of familial duty, though his parents were not fond of that decision, and learnt to heal during his squiredom to Lady Alanna. He'd even learnt to hold his tongue better, though he would always have a special talent for rubbing people the wrong way.

"I guess you never can tell what the future holds," Dom said drily.

"Exactly," Neal agreed. He fidgeted again.

"And?" Dom prompted again.

"Yuki and I would be honoured if you would be a godsfather for the baby," Neal said.

Dom raised his eyebrows. He had learned the night before that Prince Roald and Princess Shinkokami , along with Kel, would be the other godsparents. That much made sense—Yuki was Shinkokami's lady-in-waiting, and she and Kel would be able to teach the child about her Yamani heritage and Yamani gods.

He had suspected that this might be what Neal wanted to ask him, but it touched him all the same. They had been close since they were boys. In fact, Dom was closer to Neal than he was to his own brothers.

"Of course I'll be a godsfather to the poor child," Dom told his cousin. "_Someone_ has to tell her all the stories you'd rather she didn't hear."

Neal smiled wryly.

Their hunting expedition was successful, as they were able to return to the castle in the late afternoon with two deer, a boar, and some pheasants. After a bath and dinner, Dom played a game of chess against one of his younger cousins and turned in early for the night. One thing had occurred to him when he noticed the extra pallet in the dressing room had disappeared.

"I thought Tobe didn't like being separated from you," Dom commented as he slipped into bed next to Kel.

She shrugged.

"He's getting used to the idea that he'll be free in a few months," she said, yawning. "Onua Chamtong has offered to take him on as an assistant when his bond is up, and Stefan has offered him a place also."

The following morning Dom met Neal and Kel at the practice court by the stables after breakfast and all three of them joined in the weapons drills with the castle's off-duty men-at-arms. Neal left after the sword drills, but Dom stayed to watch two men-at-arms with swords attempt to take on Kel with her glaive.

Cedric Tanner came to lean on the fence next to him.

"She's quick with that thing, isn't she?" Cedric commented, eyes following the flashing blade at tip of the glaive. "I hear my Lady Yuki is just as fast with one of those in her hands, and her highness the Princess Shinkokami too."

Dom grinned.

"Yes, tangling with the Yamani ladies is generally agreed to be a foolish idea."

"I hear Lady Kel is a fair hand with a lance too," Cedric commented, still watching the fighters. Kel had disarmed one of the men-at-arms and now engaged the remaining man with her full attention.

"You wouldn't believe how much money me and the boys won on her jousts during the Progress," Dom said absently.

"Indeed, is that right?" Cedric asked, dark eyebrows disappearing under his silvery hair. He stroked his moustache. "My niece the chamber maid informs me that you, my lad, are _particularly_ well acquainted with our lady knight."

"Nothing is private these days," Dom lamented mournfully. "I get no respect or consideration."

Cedric raised a hand to smooth his moustache again, but the smile he tried to cover still crinkled at his eyes. Dom grinned—he didn't mind being teased by Cedric.

"So the whole castle knows, I presume?" Dom asked, though he knew it to be true.

"And the village," Cedric agreed cheerfully. "My only advice is don't be soldiering too long if you've met a good woman. Look at me—I went off to war and the love o' my life got tired of waiting and married someone else."

Dom wanted to point out that things weren't that simple when your sweetheart was the second lady knight in living memory, but he knew Cedric was simply looking out for him and held his tongue. At the same time, it was the old soldier's way of tacitly communicating his approval of Dom's choice, for which he was grateful.

From that afternoon the castle began to fill with guests. Among the first to arrive was the very recently married Sir Owen of Jesslaw and his wife Lady Margarry, Lord Wyldon's youngest daughter. Dom watched them warily—Owen had been a squire when he snuck away to join them on their Scanran jaunt, and Dom still wasn't entirely sure what to make of the exuberantly-spirited younger man.

"At least things won't be boring around here for a while," Neal had muttered from the side of his mouth when the pair had first arrived.

He was certainly correct. Owen was just as high-spirited as he remembered, and kept some of the castle children rapturously entertained with tales of bandit hunts and heroism. Margarry was a plain, plump young woman about the same age as her husband with thick, wavy brown hair and eyes of the same middling shade. What she lacked in looks she more than made up for with the type of effervescent personality and natural confidence that made her impossible to not notice, even in a crowded room.

"Who knew the Stump had such a sprightly daughter?" Neal asked Kel, who responded wordlessly with a reproachful frown. Neal looked as if he relished the idea of his stiffly formal former training master having to endure such exuberant relations.

More people arrived the next day. Prince Roald and Princess Shinkokami, their infant daughter, and a retinue of two squads of Dom's men arrived after lunch. Later in the afternoon two of Neal's knight friends, Seaver of Tasride and Faleron of King's Reach arrived from Corus, then later in the evening, Kel's former sweetheart Cleon of Kennan with his wife Ermelian and their toddler son.

Irenie arrived with the queen and Duke Baird, and bore news from their mother—Garret was now married to the merchant's daughter, a young woman called Marlis, who was heavily pregnant with Garret's child when they arrived in Tyra. They were now on their way back to Masbolle, where Garret would spend the foreseeable future working under the responsible supervisory eye of his brother Erick.

"I'd stay away from Masbolle for a while," Irenie advised him drily. "Papa will be on the warpath, and it'll be _much_ worse than that time when Garret lost Great-Grandpapa's jewelled heirloom dress sword on a foolish bet."

The next couple of days flew by. The naming ceremony was held in the castle's great hall, with Neal and Yuki calling their baby daughter Karin, a name that honoured her Yamani heritage while not being too foreign for Tortallan tongues. Dom, noticing the way Yuki and Kel could barely suppress giggles whenever Neal attempted to speak Yamani, also suspected it was to spare the poor child from a lifetime of her father's—and others'— mispronunciation of a longer Yamani name. The rest of the time was spent socialising; riding, hunting, luncheons, and evening parties, until most of the guests left two days after the ceremony.

Returning to their rooms to change after helping some village men with some building work, Dom was surprised to find Kel curled up on the bed. When she turned to see who entered the room he could see her eyes were red-rimmed from weeping.

"Dom," she croaked, sitting up.

He sat down next to her on the bed.

"Kel, what's the matter? Has something happened?"

She shrugged and fished for the handkerchief she usually kept tucked in her sleeve.

"Oh it's nothing—just getting close to my time of the month, is all." She gave a weak, rueful smile. "I didn't want you to see me like this."

He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Kel, you don't cry _just_ because your monthlies are coming," he told her. "What is it really?"

He'd learned some time ago that Kel could be sensitive and often felt things quite strongly, even when she gave the outward appearance of calm or even indifference. He put his arm around her and gently kissed her cheek.

Finally she blew her nose and spoke.

"I'm just sad because things are changing. Good friends I hadn't seen in a long time are now... distant."

"You're talking about Kennan," Dom said gently. He would have been jealous of the tall red-headed knight once, but he had learnt over the past year that the attachment had always been stronger on his side than hers.

Kel sighed.

"When we broke it off—when he had to go home and marry—I was just so relieved that I didn't have to tell him that I didn't love him in that way anymore, even though he was sad. At the time I think I even told him that people do find happiness in arranged marriages, which in retrospect was probably not what he wanted hear. But it's been nearly three years, and I thought—I hoped—that next time we met we could be friends just like before. I was looking forward to knowing Ermelian too." She sniffed and wiped her eyes impatiently. "But you probably noticed Ermelian didn't want to know _me_, and Cleon scarcely talked to me the whole time they were here."

Dom pulled her closer. He had noticed, along with Neal and Kel's other friends. Neal suspected Cleon was trying to keeping his distance to keep the peace in his marital relationship, while the others were offended at their friend's cool behaviour on Kel's behalf, though she had never raised it with them. Owen, in particular, was ready to call Cleon out before the others talked him out of it.

"Perhaps you just need to give it more time," he suggested. "It can't be easy for her knowing her husband would've preferred someone else, even if it was an arranged marriage. And maybe he wasn't too prepared to find out that you've moved on—lots of men don't like the idea that their sweethearts don't need them as much as they like to think they do. It hurts our manly pride."

That got a watery chuckle out of her.

"I know. I do know," she assured him. "I just feel better after a cry—you won't think I'm being silly, will you?"

Dom laughed.

"No—only you think being human is being silly," he teased.

Kel remained in Queenscove only two more days after that. Dom hovered around feeling useless as she packed, then said his private goodbyes before the others met them at the gate.

"Have you decided what you'll do until you return to Corus?" she asked him as they dressed.

Raoul had sent a message with the two squads accompanying the royals, ordering him to take a month of extra leave.

"Lord Raoul said he doesn't want to see your face in Corus before the end of October," the sergeant had told him drily as he delivered the message.

Dom shrugged and grinned at Kel, then resumed hunting for his loincloth.

"I suppose it's about time I visited home."

* * *

**A/N:**

Hello my lovely readers! Rest assured, I have not disappeared.

Not entirely polished, but getting it out there will help me move along with the next part instead of constantly tweaking and re-tweaking it. It's also heartening to get reviews even when I haven't updated in ages, so thank you all very much. :-)


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